Two teams heading in opposite directions collide in the opener at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis Thursday afternoon when Drake plays Southern Illinois. The ninth seeded Bulldogs are 12-19 and closed the regular season with nine consecutive losses while the eighth seeded Salukis are 16-15 and have won four straight.

That’s first year Drake coach Eric Henderson. The teams traded a pair of road wins during the regular season.

It has been a bitterly disappointing season for the three-time defending champion Bulldogs who had won 20 or more games in each of the past seven seasons.