The Rise & Fall of the Valley

[Cdizzle]

So the Valley replaced a school that just paid 2.5 Million in Entrance fees along with giving up 1 million to the Valley along with offering to pay other schools increased travel costs with a school balking over 500k fee that they were the ones that wanted in place.

Seems right.

There is a certain level of poetic justice to it. Perhaps Valpo was going to pay the fee but wanted to fit in with their new conference mates, so are making a show of being cheap and not following conference bylaws.

[WuShock Reaper]

"Missouri State men's hoops finalizes non-conference schedule" - News-Leader

Wyatt D. Wheeler, Sports Writer
Published 4:32 p.m. CT Aug. 25, 2017

http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2017/08/25/missouri-state-mens-hoops-finalizes-non-conference-schedule/601710001/

"...We have a competitive non-conference schedule that will prepare us for The Valley," Bears head coach Paul Lusk said in a news release. "I love this group and I'm looking forward to the season and competing for a championship."

A higher emphasis has been put on non-conference scheduling after the Missouri Valley Conference got weaker due to the departure of Wichita State...."

The Bear's, scheduled as usual for their non-conference schedule for this season (based on last season's ending RPI's). YIPPEE that we will not be playing them twice this season. Congratulations goes to MSU for scheduling at least one, COUNT THEM, one top 100 team. Actually, it was scheduled by conference HQ for them this year.

Colorado State - 69
North Dakota State - 110
Wright State - 118
Georgia Southern # - 144
South Dakota State - 152
Western Kentucky* - 179
Penn/Northern Illinois/Towson/Florida Atlantic # - 205
Manhattan/UMKC # - 222
Hampton - 286
Oral Roberts - 290
Southern University - 319
Evangel - NAIA
Average - 187

As Comparison, Wichita State - 104

[WuShock16]

"Missouri State men's hoops finalizes non-conference schedule" - News-Leader

Wyatt D. Wheeler, Sports Writer
Published 4:32 p.m. CT Aug. 25, 2017

http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2017/08/25/missouri-state-mens-hoops-finalizes-non-conference-schedule/601710001/

"...We have a competitive non-conference schedule that will prepare us for The Valley," Bears head coach Paul Lusk said in a news release. "I love this group and I'm looking forward to the season and competing for a championship."

A higher emphasis has been put on non-conference scheduling after the Missouri Valley Conference got weaker due to the departure of Wichita State...."

The Bear's, scheduled as usual for their non-conference schedule for this season (based on last season's ending RPI's). YIPPEE that we will not be playing them twice this season. Congratulations goes to MSU for scheduling at least one, COUNT THEM, one top 100 team. Actually, it was scheduled by conference HQ for them this year.

Colorado State - 69
North Dakota State - 110
Wright State - 118
Georgia Southern # - 144
South Dakota State - 152
Western Kentucky* - 179
Penn/Northern Illinois/Towson/Florida Atlantic # - 205
Manhattan/UMKC # - 222
Hampton - 286
Oral Roberts - 290
Southern University - 319
Evangel - NAIA
Average - 187

As Comparison, Wichita State - 104

Seeing as Colorado State was an assigned game, I don't even give them credit for that one.

If this was "putting an emphasis on the non-conference schedule," I'd hate to see what Lusk's idea of a 💩💩💩schedule would be.

[WSUwatcher]

Increasingly, the emphasis in the thread title seems to be on the "fall." It's a good time to be gone.

[Shox21]

Increasingly, the emphasis in the thread title seems to be on the "fall." It's a good time to be gone.

It is a good time to be gone as you say. However, I am not taking any glee in the troubles the Valley is having. I am pleased to be gone from the Valley as I think our experience in the American will be a giant step up, I am nevertheless saddened by Valley woes of recent days. I have met many, many great fans associated with other Valley teams over the past, and only wish them well.

[Aargh]

With the loss of relevance of SIU, and then just the losses of Creighton and WSU, the Valley is making the most dramatic drop in significance of any D1 conference. In just 10 years the Valley has dropped from the #6 or #7 basketball conference to the low teens.

I'm likely to follow Valley basketball for a few years, but losing interest is only a matter of time.

[Shocker1976]

I'm likely to follow Valley basketball for a few years, but losing interest is only a matter of time.

Does this mean you will follow the MVC with the same interest as you follow the AAC, ACC, B1G, B12, Beast, Pac12 and SEC during this coming season?

[Aargh]

Does this mean you will follow the MVC with the same interest as you follow the AAC, ACC, B1G, B12, Beast, Pac12 and SEC during this coming season?

You certainly did mention a lot of conferences that I don't personally find relevant as conferences. Not as far as my "following" them goes.

[Shocker1976]

You certainly did mention a lot of conferences that I don't personally find relevant as conferences. Not as far as my "following" them goes.

Thank you, my point exactly!

[WuShock Reaper]

"High Expectations Surround Experienced Men’s Basketball Team" - Loyola Phoenix

By Claire Filpi
Published November 8, 2017 10:00 a.m. CT

http://loyolaphoenix.com/2017/11/high-expectations-surround-experienced-mens-basketball-team/

"...The MVC basketball landscape will boast a different look this season. In April, it was announced that Wichita State University was leaving the MVC to join the American Athletic Conference. In May, the MVC announced that Valparaiso University accepted an invitation to join the conference from the Horizon League. With Wichita State out of the picture, Moser said he feels the conference is up for grabs.

“[I] wish [Wichita State] well … and it leaves a huge opportunity,” Moser said. “The word that comes to my mind is opportunity. Opportunity for someone else to come take the top spot in the league. Our whole mission, our whole mindset is, ‘Why not us?’”

Custer, like Moser, said he hopes the loss of Wichita State will give Loyola a chance to win the conference, but the team liked playing Wichita State each year because they were good competition.

“It’s a good and bad thing for most of us,” Custer said. “I think a lot of us liked playing Wichita State every year, just because Wichita State was good and we wanted to get to that level where we were competing with them and beating them.”

Moser said one factor that gave Wichita an advantage was the fact that they sold out every single one of their home games. This season he hopes Gentile Arena will be the place that competing teams dread to play.

“Playing at Wichita was a different experience because of the home court advantage,” Moser said. “We can create that here at Gentile Arena. We hope in all aspects we become that Wichita; the hardest place to play [and] the top team. And that is a process. But, you have got to have high goals. That’s a goal.”

[Aargh]

Loyola seems to have an outstanding recruiting class coming in (by MVC standards). They may become the dominant team in the Valley.