Indiana State men's basketball fell to Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship game on Sunday, punting a dent in its NCAA Tournament chances.

The MVC is typically a one-bid league, meaning the conference tournament champion is usually the only program that qualifies for March Madness. Although, in recent memory, the MVC placed two teams in 2021, as Loyola Chicago won the conference and Drake was granted an at-large bid and won its First Four game over Wichita State.

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Indiana State boasts an impressive 28-6 record this season and would become tied for the most wins ever by a team left out of the tournament, which has happened four other times, according to USA TODAY Sports' Steve Berkowitz.

Drake coach Darian DeVries, who went 2-1 against the Sycamores this season, also said Indiana State deserves to be in the Tournament.

"That is a really, really good basketball team — an NCAA Tournament basketball team," DeVries said after the game. "... Watch them. Find me better teams than them. Anybody that's on that committee that's evaluating Indiana State and you see their record and what they've done all season, the success they've had, the efficiency numbers. Everything they've asked them to do, they've done."

Indiana State hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2011, with the most recent before then in 2001. Earlier this season, the Sycamores also debuted in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time since 1979, when Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird played there.

Here's a look at Indiana State's NCAA Tournament resume, and where it's being projected:

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Will Indiana State make the NCAA Tournament?

Indiana State is currently projected as a "Last Four In" team in ESPN's latest "Bracketology" update by Joe Lunardi.

Lunardi has the Sycamores as a No. 11 seed taking on Colorado in the First Four while Drake, which beat Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship game on Sunday, is a No. 10 seed facing Gonzaga.

There's not much room for error for Indiana State, which is down to the interpretation of bid makers for a spot in the Big Dance. The Sycamores will also hope there are limited bid stealers as other conference tournaments wrap up.

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Indiana State NCAA Tournament resume

Working in Indiana State's favor is its favorable NCAA NET ranking, which lists the Sycamores at No. 29. NC State missed the tournament in 2019 with a NET ranking of 33, which is the highest ever to miss the tournament.

Should Indiana State be left out of the Big Dance, it would likely mark unprecedented territory should its NET ranking stay at 29 for Selection Sunday on March 17.

Indiana State's NET ranking has it as the seventh-highest ranked non-Power Six program, behind only Gonzaga, St. Mary's, San Diego State, Dayton, Boise State and New Mexico, who's projected as a "First Four Out" team by Lunardi.

However, one thing working against Indiana State is its poor strength of schedule. According to KenPom, the Sycamores had the 304th non-conference strength of schedule rating and 125th strength of schedule rating.

Indiana State went only 1-4 in Quad 1 games this year, which are quantified as home games against top 30-ranked NET teams, neutral site games against top 50-ranked teams or road games against top 75-ranked teams. The Sycamores went 1-2 against Drake this season, with their lone win counting as a Quad 2 victory as it was at home.

Overall, Indiana State's lone Quad 1 win was at Bradley, while it fell in Quad 1 games on the road at Alabama and Michigan State and fell to Drake on the road and at a neutral site.

The Sycamores also went 4-1 in Quad 2, 10-0 in Quad 3 and 12-1 in Quad 4 games.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Will Indiana State make March Madness with its NCAA Tournament resume?