The final week of the regular season for Missouri Valley Conference men's soccer has arrived, and now it's all about the numbers.

For the fourth place University of Evansville Purple Aces, two victories to finish the regular season and help from fifth place Eastern Illinois could produce an MVC championship. Victories in league matches are worth three points and ties are worth one. Missouri State leads the MVC with a 6-1-1 record (19 points), followed by 5-3-0 Drake (15), 4-2-3 Creighton (15) and the 4-3-1 Aces (13). All but Creighton have two league matches remaining.

Step one for 10-6-1 Evansville is beating first place and 22nd ranked (NSCAA) Missouri State on the Bears' home field Wednesday afternoon. Kickoff is at 1:00. Missouri State is 11-3-2 overall, and has won six consecutive matches, including a 1-0 win at Evansville October 21. A victory for Missouri State Wednesday clinches the Bears' first MVC regular season championship since 1999. An Evansville victory gives the Aces their highest win total since the 1996 squad reached the NCAA Tournament and finished 18-5-0 overall.

The Aces can still win the title in the six-team MVC by defeating Missouri State and finishing the regular season at home Saturday with a win over sixth place Bradley, and if fifth place Eastern Illinois wins its home matches Wednesday against Drake and Saturday against Missouri State. Regardless, coach Mike Jacobs' Aces are assured of qualifying for the four-team State Farm MVC Tournament at Des Moines, Iowa November 13 and 15. The winner gets an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.