Moser said Ramblers getting better heading into MVC tournament

Porter Moser admits to tunnel vision.

So it's thoroughly believable that the day his English Lit class was covering F. Scott Fitzgerald and “There are no second acts in American lives” from “The Last Tycoon,” Moser wasn't of a mind to retain.

He and his Loyola Ramblers will try to wake up the second-act echoes of their 2018 run to The Final Four beginning Friday night at the Missouri Valley Conference men's tournament in St. Louis.

The second-seeded Ramblers (21-10, 13-5) are hardly long shots in the 10-team tourney.

They open with the winner of the scrape-in between No. 7 Valparaiso and No. 10 Evansville and likely follow on Saturday afternoon against the survivor of the No. 3 Indiana State-No. 6 Missouri State quarterfinal.

From there, if seeds hold, Cameron Krutwig, Lucas Williamson and crew would tip against No. 1 Northern Iowa (25-5, 14-4) to net the MVC's probable lone NCAA bid (Sunday, CBS, 1 p.m.).

“You get into tunnel vision around Jan. 1 when your own league starts,” Moser said.

“Right now, I'm just pleased that we've gotten better and I think we'll be going to St. Louis playing our best basketball of the season.”

That best ball came after opening the season 3-4 and motoring to a 7-2 finish since Feb. 1.

Included in that arc to The Arch was a split decision in a pair of OT hummers vs. ball bulldog Austin Phyfe and Northern Iowa. Each team won on its home floor.

The 6-foot-9 Krutwig — a master facilitator from Northwest suburban Algonquin — control towers a smart, fluid ensemble that revolves around fellow junior Tate Hall, freshman Marquise Kennedy and the flying defense of Williamson.

UNI's AJ Green beat out Krutwig for the Valley's Larry Bird Player of the Year Award Tuesday.

Pick to upset into the top tandem is veteran-laden defending champ Bradley (20-11, 11-7).

Darrell Brown and the No. 4 Braves have to get past No. 5 Southern Illinois (16-15, 10-8) and first-year coach Bryan Mullins to make it to the Saturday-Sunday March march.

Bradley zigzagged home 5-4 while SIU — with 6-foot-6 freshman guard Marcus Domask continuing to impress — followed a seven-game winning streak with a 4-5 close.

“You take this tournament as the start of season number three,” said Mullins, who played for Chris Lowery during the Sweet Sixteen run of the Salukis in 2007 and was associate head coach under Moser during Loyola's magical hysteria tour two years ago.

He'll settle for three wins as his first, second and third acts at the Enterprise Center this weekend.

Missouri Valley men's tournament

Thursday

Game 1 (6:05 p.m.) — No. 8 Drake vs. No. 9 Illinois State (NBCSCH+)

Game 2 (8:35 p.m.) — No. 7 Valparaiso vs. No. 10 Evansville (NBCSCH+)

Friday

Game 3 (12:05 p.m.) — No. 1 Northern Iowa vs. Winner Game 1 (NBCSCH)

Game 4 (2:35 p.m.) — No. 4 Bradley vs. No. 5 Southern Illinois (NBCSCH)

Game 5 (6:05 p.m.) — No. 2 Loyola vs. Winner Game 2 (live, ESPN+; taped delay, NBCSCH, 11:30 p.m.)

Game 6 (8:35 p.m.) — No. 3 Indiana State vs. Missouri State (live ESPN+; taped delay, NBCSCH, 1:30 a.m.)

Saturday

Game 7 (2:35 p.m.) — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (CBSSN)

Game 8 (5:05 p.m.) — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (CBSSN)

Sunday

Championship (1 p.m.) — Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 (CBS)