Drake Bulldogs vs Southern Illinois Salukis Picks and Predictions for Thursday March 5 2026

By: Kim Smith Published 03/05/2026, 01:20 AM ET

The Drake Bulldogs face the Southern Illinois Salukis in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament First Round on Thursday March 5, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 PM ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. At the time of this writing the odds were not released for the moneyline, total, or spread. Be sure to also check out our free college basketball picks for more daily college basketball betting insights.

Bulldogs Searching for a Tournament Reset

The Drake Bulldogs enter the MVC Tournament with a 12-19 overall record and a 6-14 conference record. Drake has struggled down the stretch and comes into this matchup on a five-game losing streak. The Bulldogs recently lost to Northern Iowa 75-53, lost to Valparaiso 74-71, lost to Southern Illinois 66-61, lost again to Northern Iowa 86-62, and lost to UIC 80-70.

Offensively Drake averages 75.3 points per game while allowing 75.2 points per contest. The Bulldogs shoot 44% from the field and average 35.8 rebounds per game while distributing 13.3 assists per game.

One of the strengths of Drake has been their ability to compete on the glass. The Bulldogs average nearly 36 rebounds per game, which allows them to stay in games by creating second-chance opportunities even when their shooting becomes inconsistent.

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Salukis Enter Tournament with Momentum

Southern Illinois comes into the MVC Tournament with a 16-15 overall record and a 10-10 mark in conference play. The Salukis have been playing strong basketball recently, winning four of their last five games. They recently defeated Evansville 81-67, beat Indiana State 66-55, defeated Northern Iowa 59-57, and picked up another win over Drake 66-61. Their lone loss in that stretch came against Bradley by a 70-60 score.

Southern Illinois averages 73.3 points per game while allowing 69.6 points per contest. The Salukis shoot 45% from the field while averaging 37.9 rebounds per game and 13.6 assists per contest.

One of the biggest strengths of Southern Illinois is their defensive pressure and ability to create turnovers. The Salukis average 8.1 steals per game, which can quickly shift momentum and lead to easy transition scoring opportunities.

Drake Bulldogs vs Southern Illinois Salukis Pick

Bulldogs vs Salukis Pick

Pick: Southern Illinois Salukis Spread

Southern Illinois enters this matchup with significantly more momentum and already has a recent win over Drake. The Salukis have been playing strong basketball defensively and have been able to generate turnovers that lead to easy scoring chances. With Drake struggling during their recent stretch, Southern Illinois appears to have the advantage heading into this tournament matchup.

Bulldogs vs Salukis Total Pick

Pick: Take the Under

I like the under in this game because Southern Illinois tends to play strong defense and slow the pace of games. The Salukis allow under 70 points per game, and Drake has struggled offensively during their recent losing streak. With both teams familiar with each other from conference play, this game could turn into a more defensive battle.

Final Score Prediction: Southern Illinois 69, Drake 63

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