The Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Illinois State men’s basketball team is the No. 1 seed in the 2017 State Farm MVC Tournament held at Scottrade Center in St. Louis. The Redbirds begin play Friday, March 3 at noon versus the winner of Thursday night’s No. 8 Evansville versus No. 9 Indiana State game.

The Redbirds, who shared the league regular-season title with Wichita State, earned the tournament seeding tiebreaker (overall RPI as of Sunday, Feb. 26). The teams finished with identical 17-1 MVC records and split the regular-season series, but ISU earned the higher seed using the league’s secondary tiebreaker with an RPI figure of 34, compared to Wichita State’s 40. Illinois State is the tournament’s No. 1 seed for the first time since 1998 and the sixth time in program history.

Fans are encouraged to cheer on the top-seeded Redbirds at 2017 Arch Madness. Tickets are available and plans are set for Redbird Rallies. VisitĀ GoRedbirds.com\ArchMadness for updated information throughout the MVC Tournament weekend.

Tickets
All-session tickets to the 2017 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament are on sale now through the Illinois State Athletics ticket office by either calling (309) 438-8000 or by visiting GoRedbirds.com/Tickets.

Redbird Rally
The Illinois State Athletics Department and the ISU Alumni Association are teaming up to host Redbird Rallies at Budweiser Brew House located in Ballpark Village before every Illinois State game in the 2017 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament. Each Redbird Rally is free and open to fans of all ages, with food and beverages available to purchase from the menu.

Located just north of Busch Stadium at 601 Clark Ave. #101 in St. Louis, Budweiser Brew House is the official gathering spot for Redbird fans at the MVC Tournament. Budweiser Brew House is within walking distance of the team’s Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch hotel and Scottrade Center. It is also near the MetroLink, which can conveniently transport Redbird fans to and from the arena.

Redbird Rally Schedule:
Quarterfinals, Friday, March 3: Redbird Rally at 9 a.m.; Game at Noon.
Semifinals, Saturday, March 4: Redbird Rally at noon; Game at 2:30 p.m.
Championship, Sunday, March 5: Redbird Rally at 10:30 a.m.; Game at 1 p.m.

For up-to-date information about Redbird Rallies and other pregame and postgame social events, fans can visit the Redbird Athletics table, located in the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch hotel lobby during the tournament, or checkĀ GoRedbirds.com\ArchMadness.

Gear
Redbird fans who are in St. Louis to cheer on the Illinois State men’s basketball team at the MVC Tournament will have the opportunity to stock up on Redbird gear at the Mobile Weibring Golf Club Pro Shop.

Open to all Redbird fans, the mobile pro shop will be located in the lobby of the team hotel, the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, located at 315 Chestnut Street in St. Louis. The Mobile Weibring Golf Club Pro Shop will be selling a selection of Illinois State merchandise, including Nike, Under Armor, Columbia, and more, during Arch Madness.

Fans are encouraged to stop by for special offers available at the mobile pro shop. The shop will be open to the public, and all ISU fans are welcome to browse and buy, not just those staying at the hotel.

The same collection is also available in the fully-stocked pro shop located at the Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State University and through the shop’s online store at ISUGolf.com.