(03-08-2020 07:48 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 07:36 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 07:32 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Why not St. Louis? They can have a member in St. Louis. They'd do the A-10 a favor and save them a ton of travel.

Saint Louis (and Belmont) aren’t interested in the MVC. Murray State is the opposite - their president and AD put on mega social media campaigns to replace Wichita. Elgin called Murray “an MVC institution” at the time but claimed 11 was non-negotiable.

With 20 game schedules being the new 18 game schedules and the AAC and Big East going to 11 teams, even though Elgin didn't say so maybe 11 is a possibility.

Another problem with Murray State. They've essentially been passed over by the MVC twice in the 2010's, once for Loyola (I'd say a terrific choice) and once for Valparaiso.

I wonder if the A-10 would ever have the guts to kick St. Louis out. St. Louis should want to leave.

Loyola was a lucky choice, with one good team in 30 years and two in 50 years. Regardless of the Final Four, it should.have been UIC.

(03-08-2020 09:46 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  whats the latest with St Thomas? Did they get the final approval for the move? Would MVC be interested in Minneapolis?

The MVC's going to take a Division 3 school? Come on! St. Thomas should be happy to be able to go from D-3 to D-1, beggars can't be choosers.

I posted recently that I attended my first Belmont men's basketball game in the early 1980s and taught part-time at the university in the late 1990s. My brother also once taught at BU as an adjunct instructor. I have some personal ties to the university and root for its team.

I would be very pleased for Belmont to go the MVC. That league is far more prestigious than the OVC. And Belmont men's basketball has historically recruited a good bit in Indiana and Illinois. I would like to see the Valley take both Murray and Belmont. That would give the league six publics and six privates. And some good hoops, too.

(03-08-2020 09:39 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Detroit’s in probation trouble, averages 1500 attendance, and only a <5 hour drive to 2 MVC schools. They’re DOA imo.

I think the MVC is counting non-FB publics (NKU, WSU, UIC) as privates and one of those 3 will take the “private” slot.

MVC also has their pick of the litter so to speak as its a more prestigious than the Horizon.

Slim pickings outside of Detroit if Belmont isnt interested if the public private balance is to be maintained

(03-08-2020 09:55 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 07:48 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 07:36 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 07:32 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Why not St. Louis? They can have a member in St. Louis. They'd do the A-10 a favor and save them a ton of travel.

Saint Louis (and Belmont) aren’t interested in the MVC. Murray State is the opposite - their president and AD put on mega social media campaigns to replace Wichita. Elgin called Murray “an MVC institution” at the time but claimed 11 was non-negotiable.

With 20 game schedules being the new 18 game schedules and the AAC and Big East going to 11 teams, even though Elgin didn't say so maybe 11 is a possibility.

Another problem with Murray State. They've essentially been passed over by the MVC twice in the 2010's, once for Loyola (I'd say a terrific choice) and once for Valparaiso.

I wonder if the A-10 would ever have the guts to kick St. Louis out. St. Louis should want to leave.

Loyola was a lucky choice, with one good team in 30 years and two in 50 years. Regardless of the Final Four, it should.have been UIC.

Loyola got good because they started investing a ton of money into basketball. MVC was leaning towards UIC, then Loyola pledged a bunch of commitments and their membership was contingent upon it. They renovated the arena, built a state of the art practice facility, and ballooned their budget. The Loyola of today isn’t the Loyola of those decades.

If you come to Chicago, go to a Loyola game and a UIC game and you will see a stark difference. It used to be the opposite 10+ years ago.

(03-08-2020 06:47 PM)solohawks Wrote:  They must have found a 12th team to pair with Murray State

lol...Air Force needs a place for their olympic sports when they jump to the AAC.

University of Indianapolis Is looking for a new home. They could slip their football in the Pioneer. They are better than Detroit in some sports. Unless, they are also looking at Bellarmine as the private? Their men's basketball is rated higher than some of the MVC as a stronger team.

(03-08-2020 10:35 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Slim pickings outside of Detroit if Belmont isnt interested if the public private balance is to be maintained

I wonder if the MVC is going to roll the dice on Bellarmine. I don't think it would be too hard to pluck them from the A-Sun, but if the MVC was looking at that option, it would make more sense to go after Lipscomb.

(03-09-2020 12:18 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 06:47 PM)solohawks Wrote:  They must have found a 12th team to pair with Murray State

lol...Air Force needs a place for their olympic sports when they jump to the AAC.

AFA inquired years ago but was rejected as too far.

(03-09-2020 01:43 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  University of Indianapolis Is looking for a new home. They could slip their football in the Pioneer. They are better than Detroit in some sports. Unless, they are also looking at Bellarmine as the private? Their men's basketball is rated higher than some of the MVC as a stronger team.

St Thomas is rated so much higher than Indianapolis or Bellarmine but still needs to transition. They could go in early.

(03-09-2020 01:43 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  University of Indianapolis Is looking for a new home. They could slip their football in the Pioneer. They are better than Detroit in some sports. Unless, they are also looking at Bellarmine as the private? Their men's basketball is rated higher than some of the MVC as a stronger team.

Never heard of them. Had to look them up.

(03-09-2020 01:43 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 10:35 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Slim pickings outside of Detroit if Belmont isnt interested if the public private balance is to be maintained

I wonder if the MVC is going to roll the dice on Bellarmine. I don't think it would be too hard to pluck them from the A-Sun, but if the MVC was looking at that option, it would make more sense to go after Lipscomb.

Does anyone here really believe the MVC is that desperate for a private that they're really going to bring a Division 2 (or 3??) school just to balance things out? If that's the case, they probably just stand pat at 10 and Murray State's out of luck. You forget that Valparaiso replaced Wichita State, a public school. So when Wichita State was in the conference it was 6-4 in favor of public schools. This is the MVC. They shouldn't have to bring in a lousy school. Even bringing in Detroit would be significantly outside their geographic footprint although it would bring a good market to them. Belmont's obviously the home run when it comes to private schools. If they get them and Murray State, everyone in the MVC will likely be happy. I think getting Murray State alone should be fine and play a double round robin. Maybe after they see the Big East next year and a 20 game double round robin schedule they'll change their mind. I can't imagine any conference playing a 22 game schedule and if the MVC brings in a Div 2 or 3 school and adds 2 games vs them, they defeat the whole purpose of expanding to help their men's basketball since their schedule will be hurt.

If Bellarmine performs well in the A-Sun they could definitely be the private school counter balance to Murray St if Belmont spurns the MVC.

I wouldn’t add them until they prove they can actually win DI games though

(03-09-2020 01:43 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(03-08-2020 10:35 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Slim pickings outside of Detroit if Belmont isnt interested if the public private balance is to be maintained

I wonder if the MVC is going to roll the dice on Bellarmine. I don't think it would be too hard to pluck them from the A-Sun, but if the MVC was looking at that option, it would make more sense to go after Lipscomb.

Yeah, other than the timing and optics of the MVC upgrading almost directly from a non-D1 school, Bellarmine checks some of the location boxes that seemed to matter when Loyola got the call.

I would like to think the MVC wants both Murray and Belmont. I’d hate to think Murray stays put because no other private school gets the support if Belmont passes (and honestly, if it isn’t Saint Louis or Belmont, it’s a bad pick), but, it sounded like the private schools jammed their priorities ahead of the others to create “balance,” despite it costing them quality additions, and sitting on Murray’s candidacy for it. It’s kind of why I think as DOA Detroit is, if Loyola and Valpo vouch, the other private members likely are cool with it.

If the Southern Conference hears wind that Murray State is going to the MVC they'll fall all over themselves to lock in Belmont.

As a Belmont homer, I will note a few things ...

BU offers graduate schools of business, music and law. It offers bachelor's degrees in fashion, film, nursing and architecture. The enrollment is now pushing 9,000 and the selectivity for students has dropped to about 80 percent (it was well over 90 percent not that long ago). The campus is located about two miles southwest of downtown Nashville in a vibrant and urban setting very near Vanderbilt U., Midtown, 12South and Hillsboro Village. To an extent, Belmont has a "big-league/big-city" vibe to it.

I attended Middle Tennessee State (a former OVC member) and follow the OVC still, somewhat, due to BU. In short, Belmont simply does not "feel" like an OVC school/athletics department. Membership in the Missouri Valley would be huge for Belmont, and I would think the MVC would like a Nashville presence and BU's respectable all-around athletics program.

This will be interesting to follow.

(03-09-2020 07:58 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  If the Southern Conference hears wind that Murray State is going to the MVC they'll fall all over themselves to lock in Belmont.

Belmont has been anti-MVC because they don’t want the travel. SoCon travel would be better than MVC travel but not as good as their set up in the OVC.

Perhaps they sweeten the deal with a travel partner of Belmont’s choosing.

Air Force and Murray St with Air Force to the AAC for football.
Western Illinois to the OVC and St Thomas takes their place in the Summit.
Northern Colorado joins the Summit and MVFC with Murray St.
Big Sky stays at ten but splits football into two conferences .
Adding Dixie St and Tarleton St to UC-Davis , Cal-Poly , Sac St , NAU, and SUU for the Southern conference .
The MWC stays at ten .

(03-09-2020 08:25 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(03-09-2020 07:58 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  If the Southern Conference hears wind that Murray State is going to the MVC they'll fall all over themselves to lock in Belmont.

Belmont has been anti-MVC because they don’t want the travel. SoCon travel would be better than MVC travel but not as good as their set up in the OVC.

Perhaps they sweeten the deal with a travel partner of Belmont’s choosing.

The MVC is not a beggar.

I doubt they take UIC. They already have 4 Illinois schools + Valpo. Murray is close to SIU and not far from Evansville. I think they don't expand their 4 state footprint too much. It will be a Horizon school, Wright St., Milwaukee or Detroit.

Belmont is a perfect candidate for the SoCon. They're already associated in Men's Soccer (means nothing I know) with the SoCon. Belmont would make 11 in the SoCon and a good 20 game schedule in basketball and doesn't disrupt the 9 member (8 conference game) football part of the conference.