Good News for MVC!

[Dave Stalwart]

This ... none of the teams they are discussing are at-large quality programs. They are teams that consistently made the dance by winning their conference tourney.

Belmont has never won a game in the NCAA in 7 appearances
Valpo has won two games (in 98) in the NCAA in 9 appearances
Omaha has never been the D1 NCAA
Milwaukee is 3-4 in NCAA's (last win in 2006)

Murray state is the only addition with a decent history at 5 round of 32 visits (only 2 since 1990) out of 15 visits.

So moral of all of this, None of these additions are going to drive the MVC to get 2nd bids, or even a 2nd/3rd game in the NCAA more often than not.

This is true. I don't think bids are even their goal anymore. I think overall conference RPI staying around the #10 range is what they could be trying to accomplish. Basically, give up on the hope that you can be a super strong conference, but set your sights on hanging with the MWC, the A10 and the WCC over the long run.

One thing about all these teams is that several of them at least have top 100 potential. The conference will be able to put an autobid team in the Dance and 2 or 3 in the NIT each year. That's their best case scenario. If Illinois State was not an at-large team this year, it kinda puts it in perspective. Staying one of the top mid-major conferences for overall RPI is about all the MVC can do with these adds. And there's nothing wrong with that. It just is what it is. The best way to secure a top 10 conference RPI is to poach the heck out of the 10-15 range conferences and create separation. That's one thing these moves would do. That's why I like the 14 or 16 team model, even though it won't happen. If you go to 16 and all 7 of the adds are strong teams out of the Horizon, Summit, MAC, etc, then you blow up any hopes that those other conferences can nip at your heels in conference RPI.

[DwShock]

Missouri State is lobbying for Murray State. That way they keep the "not a state" signs.

[thunderkwb]

Missouri State is lobbying for Murray State. That way they keep the "not a state" signs.

I pulling for the MVC to add Murray State and Wright State... MSU will get plenty of mileage out of those signs.

[DUShock]

This is true. I don't think bids are even their goal anymore. I think overall conference RPI staying around the #10 range is what they could be trying to accomplish. Basically, give up on the hope that you can be a super strong conference, but set your sights on hanging with the MWC, the A10 and the WCC over the long run.

Ugh. The new Valley mantra is below.

[im4wsu]

Missouri State is lobbying for Murray State. That way they keep the "not a state" signs.

and they could borrow Murry State's shirts that say "MSU" and save money that way

[RoyalShock]

The schools being mentioned have been decent given the relative stature of their conference. The MVC will be an improvement (go read the Murray State board about how poorly run the OVC is. To them, Elgin and the MVC are a huge step up. Perspective.) and should help their recruiting, just as we hope moving to The American will help ours.

So I disagree that an auto-bid and 2-3 in the NIT is the MVC's best-case scenario. We know UNI is capable of an occasional at-large and ISU can get one foot onto the bubble. BU is gradually getting better. If one of MissSU, MurrSU, Valpo, UW-Mil can have a good season, I see no reason the MVC can't get a 2nd bid every few years, especially with an upset at Arch Madness.

I'm not saying that will be the norm, but could be a possibility every 4-5 years. From the MVC's perspective, that's what they have to shoot for, no matter how likely or unlikely.

That said, there will be no return to the 2000's. No seeing two ranked teams in the top 25 in the same season. But they can definitely improve to be better than the MVC of the mid-to-late 90s, which is basically what they are right now.

[ShockTalk]

This is true. I don't think bids are even their goal anymore. I think overall conference RPI staying around the #10 range is what they could be trying to accomplish. Basically, give up on the hope that you can be a super strong conference, but set your sights on hanging with the MWC, the A10 and the WCC over the long run.

One thing about all these teams is that several of them at least have top 100 potential. The conference will be able to put an autobid team in the Dance and 2 or 3 in the NIT each year. That's their best case scenario. If Illinois State was not an at-large team this year, it kinda puts it in perspective. Staying one of the top mid-major conferences for overall RPI is about all the MVC can do with these adds. And there's nothing wrong with that. It just is what it is. The best way to secure a top 10 conference RPI is to poach the heck out of the 10-15 range conferences and create separation. That's one thing these moves would do. That's why I like the 14 or 16 team model, even though it won't happen. If you go to 16 and all 7 of the adds are strong teams out of the Horizon, Summit, MAC, etc, then you blow up any hopes that those other conferences can nip at your heels in conference RPI.

I don't see the Valley hangin' with the MWC, Atl-10, and WCC. All those conferences have a good or reasonable shot at multiple bids every other year or so. MVC, with an addition or 3, may have a rare chance.

[Dave Stalwart]

I don't see the Valley hangin' with the MWC, Atl-10, and WCC. All those conferences have a good or reasonable shot at multiple bids every other year or so. MVC, with an addition or 3, may have a rare chance.

No, probably not, but I'm not meaning that they will often be as good as or better than those conferences if they add these teams. What I mean is they can be right there near them, more so than the other conferences the MVC is competing with, rather than falling back to not even close.

[1972Shocker]

No, probably not, but I'm not meaning that they will often be as good as or better than those conferences if they add these teams. What I mean is they can be right there near them, more so than the other conferences the MVC is competing with, rather than falling back to not even close.

The Valley (12th in RPI) was closer to 20th in RPI (.0173 away) than they were to 10th in RPI (0.206 away) this past season and that was with Wichita State. Removing Wichita State and replacing it with a one or more of the teams they are looking at in and of itself will not provide a solution. The solution is that the teams in the Valley, whoever that ends up being, need to get better and to schedule better.

[Aargh]

Unless a conference is getting multiple bids, adding schools only dilutes the money to be spread around among the schools. WSU only got invited to The American because it is felt WSU can deliver more value than they take in revenue sharing. The Shox can also deliver butts in seats when they visit other teams in The American.

I don't see any of the potential additions to go past 10 schools doing anythig other than costing every team in the league some $$.

As broke as many Valley schools are, they'd be financially best off if they stayed at 9 teams and all 9 teams scheduled two guarantee road games a year for some extra cash.

[Dave Stalwart]

Unless a conference is getting multiple bids, adding schools only dilutes the money to be spread around among the schools. WSU only got invited to The American because it is felt WSU can deliver more value than they take in revenue sharing. The Shox can also deliver butts in seats when they visit other teams in The American.

I don't see any of the potential additions to go past 10 schools doing anythig other than costing every team in the league some $$.

As broke as many Valley schools are, they'd be financially best off if they stayed at 9 teams and all 9 teams scheduled two guarantee road games a year for some extra cash.

That's the truth that I hate to face about the MVC. I want it to be strong and interesting, but it's becoming quite a longshot now. All of my ideas revolve around a hope that the MVC could stay proud and stay something that I follow with a real interest of any kind.

Let me just say again that I'm SO glad WSU has aligned itself with a conference like the American. I'm so glad I'm talking about the MVC's outlook with a degree of separation now.

[Dave Stalwart]

Three articles in the last day or so on Wisconsin-Milwaukee:

http://www.tmj4.com/sports/report-uw-milwaukee-considering-move-to-missouri-valley-confererence

http://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uwm/2017/04/26/uwm-considering-move-missouri-valley-conference/100937130/

http://www.wtmj.com/sports/college/report-uwm-could-move-to-missouri-valley-conference

They all say UW-M, Murray State, Valpo and UNO, more or less.

Apparently, the MVC was visiting UNO yesterday:

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/shrinking-missouri-valley-conference-to-evaluate-nebraska-omaha-during-visit/

http://www.omaha.com/uno/report-missouri-valley-conference-to-visit-uno-as-potential-expansion/article_d9848b66-2a10-11e7-ac1a-d388a457169d.html

[Metalkatz]

It's getting annoying having journalists misspell Wichita. Like really? Spell check doesn't catch that? I emailed that one guy

[shocka khan]

It's getting annoying having journalists misspell Wichita. Like really? Spell check doesn't catch that? I emailed that one guy

Wait until you work in a WW computer services company and they turn your default word settings into the Brittish version of English (which is used in india). At that point, you either have to ignore the spell check or go with programme for program, context (or contexting) is not even a word and so on.

Who knows, they might be running a bootleg version of spell check that flags 'Wichita' and suggests 'Witchita'.

[ShockerPrez]

Where is Wichita ever spelled Witchita?

Is there somewhere that spells it that way?