The Mid-Continent Conference tournament is March 3-6 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The championship is scheduled for Tuesday, March 6, at 9:30 p.m. ET.

The Favorite

Southern Utah and Valparaiso both finished at 13-3 in the conference, but the Thunderbirds are considerably more healthy. Plus, with all that senior experience in the backcourt, it's hard not to pick them for their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.

Despite all the injuries to key players, the Crusaders still have managed to win 11 of their last 12 games. If tournament experience means anything, Valpo -- the standard-bearers for the conference for years now -- will reach the finals against Southern.

Then it might be a matter of fresh legs, of which Valpo will have none. The two teams split in the regular season, with each winning on its home floor. Both games came down to the final minute before being decided.

The Darkhorse

Don't bet against Youngstown State.

The Penguins are loaded with five seniors on their roster, guys who survived the transition from former coach Dan Peters to John Robic, the current man in charge.

Playing Valpo and Southern Utah will not intimidate those guys. YSU split with Southern Utah and was swept by Valpo.

The Stars

Southern Utah point guard Jeff Monaco leads all tournament players in scoring at 17.4 points per game and is second in assists at 5.7. An intense competitor, the senior knows how to turn it on at crunch time. ... Valpo sophomore Raitis Grafs has been a force the past month. The 6-foot-11 native of Latvia is averaging 17 points and nine rebounds over his last five games. ... Southern Utah's Frederick House is averaging 17.3 points and 3.1 steals.

Who's Hot

Valpo freshman guard Mike Nelke is shooting 59 percent from 3-point range against the Mid-Con. ... House has won player of the week honors in each of the last two weeks and is coming off a 30-point performance in the T-Birds' last game. ... IUPUI's Lance Williams has been in double figures each of his last three games, including 27 points in a win over Valpo. ... Valpo's Lubos Barton is averaging 16 points over his last six games. ... The T-Birds have won 10 of 11 while the Crusaders have won 11 of 12.

Recent History

Valpo has won the last six Mid-Con tournament titles. The last different team to win? Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Valpo has beaten Western Illinois, Youngstown State, Oral Roberts and Southern Utah in the finals the past four years.

This is the first Mid-Con tournament for IUPUI while Chicago State (0-4) still is searching for its first win.

Tidbits

With a win in the first round, Youngstown State would join Valpo and Southern Utah as 20-game winners. That would be the first time three teams won 20 games since the 1993-94 season when Wisconsin-Green Bay, Valpo and Illinois-Chicago did it. ... It would be intriguing to see Youngstown State and UMKC meet up at some point. Long-time UMass assistant John Robic and long-time Temple assistant Dean Demopoulos would match wits. Of course, that could only happen in the finals. ... The league's RPI jumped this season from the high 20s to the low 20s, meaning the winner of the conference tournament won't likely have to participate in the 64 vs. 65 NCAA Tournament play-in game ... UMKC is second in the nation in fewest turnovers at 9.5 per game.

Who's headed to the NCAAs

Only the winner of the conference tournament. Southern Utah has an RPI of 104, while Valpo's is 108 -- not quite ready for prime time.