(07-27-2017 01:36 AM)SDHornet Wrote:  UNC has historically played Denver in hoops a total of 123 times (not sure what other sports they would become "rivals in") and this season's matchup will be the 3rd straight year they have played each other (looks like a home and home agreement). Why they would need to joint the Summit to continue that series is beyond me.

They don't, I agree. I still don't see why some posters are claiming that an association with Denver would be the main driver. I think it would be a "nice to have". But I think the main driver for UNC would more or less be to simply try a new direction. The Big Sky might have been seen as the logical place to land in DI. They did it. And they haven't really found much success. Their best success, for better or worse, was in the NCC. And the Summit/MVFC would be an attempt to recreate that. Plus their baseball team would be in the same conference, but that is not a huge deal.

(07-27-2017 01:36 AM)SDHornet Wrote:  The history with the Dakotas is cool and all, but why that is used to think they would be in play for Summit seems a bit of a reach all things considered. I guess if UNC is disgruntled with BSC membership Summit would be the obvious fall back choice.

Sure, it is a reach. I don't think anyone here is claiming is an obvious move or a lock to happen.

Don't think there is any evidence at all that UNC is unhappy with the Big Sky. Obviously, they aren't going to say so publicly. Do I think UNC is unhappy with the Big Sky, privately? I doubt it. Like I said, the best case for the Summit would be if UNC, out of the blue essentially, decided it wanted to try a new direction.

(07-27-2017 01:36 AM)SDHornet Wrote:  I guess the Summit can try to poach baseball from the WAC, but that means they would no longer get games on the west coast...which is closer to HI than the Dakotas are. (UNC's coach is a HI native that has landed a handful of recruits from the Islands..among other west coast locales). So even a baseball move to the Summit seems far fetched given its current coaching staff.

If you're going to argue that UNC can play Denver non-conf, then I can argue that UNC can play baseball on the west coast non-conf.

But I don't think the Summit would target UNC baseball.