(12-08-2017 09:25 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(12-08-2017 08:03 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(12-08-2017 05:56 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  If their main goal is to increase the number of in-conference games, they don't have to expand to do so. Am I missing something?

Aren't they at 10? They only need 1 to be added to play 20 conference games.

Odd numbers make scheduling a bit awkward. (Someone's always left without a dance partner). But is that enough to justify adding a #12?

And then the question becomes what exactly the Valley is looking for in a #12. In 2013, google has the Valley looking at UIC, Belmont, Oral Roberts and UMKC to replace Creighton, before they brought in Loyola-Chicago and Valparaiso. The logic of adding Chicagoland schools is strong, but is the Valley still in a position to poach the Horizon?

What does a one-bid, 12-team Missouri Valley Conference do for UIC, really?

I suppose that applies to anyone the Valley is considering. Unless you don't like the conference you're in now (the WAC is inherently unstable--UMKC, you're not a fan of Summit League travel to Tulsa, Denver and the Dakotas--Western Illinois, Fort Wayne) what's the big incentive to change leagues?

EDIT: Oh dear. I don't know why I didn't read the article before posting. They're trying to be viable for at-large bids. I don't think there's anyone they can add who makes any difference there. That ship has sailed. There are no top 100 programs available for the Valley to add. (Except maybe NMSU, and the geography there is pretty terrible--the Horizon is at least close to major airports). You could make arguments for why and how a Denver or Grand Canyon *could* use their financial resources to build themselves into a top 100 program, but they don't really need Valley membership to do that.

I thought they were just adding schools to fill dates on the schedule, because no one wants to get on a plane and a bus to play at Drake nonconference.

EDIT 2: I guess that the logical #12, if UIC isn't interested, might be Belmont. Adds Nashville metro to the footprint, adds a little bit of basketball strength. STill driveable from Iowa and Illinois and Missouri.

UIC would jump at the chance to switch from the 30th RPI conference to 7th and add 4 in-state rivals in a New York minute, just like Valparaiso and Milwaukee would’ve done last year when the disparity was just a few spots rather than 23.