(04-10-2017 07:03 AM)solohawks Wrote:  If MVC is going to get Belmont, they picked a good time to do it. Belmont missing out on the tournament 2 years in a row because they cant win the OVC tournament would have to make them at least listen to a proven multibid conference. Even without Wichita the MVC has a better change of a 2nd bid than the OVC

It takes a special type for someone from the single-bid conferences to outshine their surroundings enough to merit at-large consideration. The year Murray State ran through OVC, the quality wins weren't there, and the opposition was so bad it showed in the metrics.

Illinois State and Wichita State ran over their conference. I'm not certain flipping the result of the MVC tournament title game would have gotten the conference two bids, with Wichita as the at-large.

Belmont would definitely be upgrading by leaving the OVC, but it *has* to do better in its non-conference regardless of what it can do in better surroundings. Yeah, you can be propped up by more mediocre opposition, and that might help give you the bump...but, if the last three years of snubs show anything, the committee can spot a paper lion, and has no problem whatsoever sitting a mid-major at home regardless of their numbers if other qualities aren't shown.