Who are your school's biggest rivals?

by **sportprof101** » January 13th, 2022, 9:43 am

Hello MVC Fans

Since 2014, we—the students and professors of the Know Rivalry Project—have been studying the effects of rivalry for sports in North America. Now we are expanding our research to College Basketball. Please help us ensure that your favorite school is included by taking 10 minutes to complete our updated survey:

MBB: https://umassamherst.co1.qualtrics.com/ ... grpID=1472
WBB: https://umassamherst.co1.qualtrics.com/ ... grpID=5601

Our previous results in the US have been featured in numerous sports media outlets, as well as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. You can view those results, links to media coverage, and learn more about us at https://knowrivalry.com/

We use the Qualtrics online survey software for data collection. This academic research has been approved by two US universities' Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and it poses no risks to respondents. You'll find more information on the disclosure agreement that is required to start the survey. Thank you for helping us to include the MVC and your favorite school by participating and please share this with any other fans that may also help.

Jonah, Student Researcher, Northern Kentucky University
Dr. Joe Cobbs, Northern Kentucky University
Dr. David Tyler, University of Massachusetts—Amherst

**Sponsor**

by **Mulefodder** » January 13th, 2022, 6:08 pm

sportprof101 wrote:Hello MVC Fans

Since 2014, we—the students and professors of the Know Rivalry Project—have been studying the effects of rivalry for sports in North America. Now we are expanding our research to College Basketball. Please help us ensure that your favorite school is included by taking 10 minutes to complete our updated survey:

MBB: https://umassamherst.co1.qualtrics.com/ ... grpID=1472
WBB: https://umassamherst.co1.qualtrics.com/ ... grpID=5601

Our previous results in the US have been featured in numerous sports media outlets, as well as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. You can view those results, links to media coverage, and learn more about us at https://knowrivalry.com/

We use the Qualtrics online survey software for data collection. This academic research has been approved by two US universities' Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and it poses no risks to respondents. You'll find more information on the disclosure agreement that is required to start the survey. Thank you for helping us to include the MVC and your favorite school by participating and please share this with any other fans that may also help.

Jonah, Student Researcher, Northern Kentucky University
Dr. Joe Cobbs, Northern Kentucky University
Dr. David Tyler, University of Massachusetts—Amherst

will well welcome to this hear forum you might like it i do but may be not becuz sometime people answer or not and talkin about this i want to know as a prized reseecher do you ever pass that htere bong and hit the mary jane or puff the majic dragon like many folk here did back in the college day please be honest
thank u the manageement

by **jsaluki080** » January 14th, 2022, 9:37 am

Honestly, not sure. I'm actually curious now. Other SIU posters, what do you think? I know it was Cr8ton for the longest time before they left. Also, I can see Murray blossoming into a nice rivalry in the years to come.

by **smidge34** » January 14th, 2022, 9:48 am

For me personally as a Racer fan there will never be another program I enjoy beating as much as the Western Kentucky Pillpoppers. Pure hatred lol.

by **VUGrad1314** » January 14th, 2022, 10:03 am

jsaluki080 wrote:Honestly, not sure. I'm actually curious now. Other SIU posters, what do you think? I know it was Cr8ton for the longest time before they left. Also, I can see Murray blossoming into a nice rivalry in the years to come.

The way some SIU posters acted at the mere mention of Murray State being a candidate I assumed they were already a rival of yours.

As for Valpo our biggest rival is one we never play anymore: Butler. We haven't played them since they left our former league the Horizon League back in like 2012 but we DO own a four game winning streak against them that we amassed on their way out the door. We're still really proud of that fact.

As for current rivals it's hard to say. I'd say we're losing ours when Loyola leaves. I think Drake has heated up recently considering that they have so many players from our backyard on their roster and we're both pretty similar as institutions. Bradley (due to their coach having coached at Green Bay who was a strong conference foe in our former league that really brought the fans out as well as his struggles against us in our building adds some intrigue to our games against them. In addition there is some institutional similarity between us.

Indiana State has some spice due to geography and having a good number of ISU alums in the area. Evansville could\should be but I don't think that one has fully ignited quite yet. Lastly, if UIC gets added something could get started between us and them. Newcomer (starting next year) Belmont too is a potential rival for the same reasons why I listed every other private school.

However, the reality is simply that Valpo hasn't been competitive enough to have any real rivalries so things are kinda dormant right now. I'd say ask again when Valpo is a bit more competitive in the conference and I'll have a better\clearer answer. We moved conferences twice in ten years and a lot of our rivalries outside of the one we had with Butler were more of convenience centered on who else happened to be good in our league at the time without any real story behind them beyond that. I'd say we haven't fully developed an MVC rival yet though there are some matchups that are getting there.

by **Birdfan2018** » January 14th, 2022, 10:17 am

“The War on 74”
Illinois State Redbirds vs Bradley Braves
39 Miles down I-74 separate the 2 schools
The War continues Sunday January 16th 7PM
Redbird Arena
MARQUEE Channel XFINITY 672
“It Sucks to BU”

by **BuBrave2006** » January 14th, 2022, 10:26 am

Birdfan2018 wrote:“The War on 74”
Illinois State Redbirds vs Bradley Braves
39 Miles down I-74 separate the 2 schools
The War continues Sunday January 16th 7PM
Redbird Arena

“It Sucks to BU”

To me, this is the best rivalry in the conference and only UNI-Drake might be remotely close. Proximity is a big factor for me when talking about a rivalry, but even so a lot of the previous rivalries in the conference had faded due to teams leaving the conference.

Illinois State and Bradley's are each other's one and only rival and I love everything about it.

Also, no matter how much they want to make it happen, Bradley is not Loyola's rival.

by **Kyle_Saluki_17** » January 14th, 2022, 10:44 am

I'd say Murray, but that may be simply because of my location specifically. I know it is fun when they come to Carbondale.

by **tribecalledquest** » January 14th, 2022, 11:27 am

BuBrave2006 wrote:
Birdfan2018 wrote:“The War on 74”
Illinois State Redbirds vs Bradley Braves
39 Miles down I-74 separate the 2 schools
The War continues Sunday January 16th 7PM
Redbird Arena

“It Sucks to BU”

To me, this is the best rivalry in the conference and only UNI-Drake might be remotely close. Proximity is a big factor for me when talking about a rivalry, but even so a lot of the previous rivalries in the conference had faded due to teams leaving the conference.

Illinois State and Bradley's are each other's one and only rival and I love everything about it.

Also, no matter how much they want to make it happen, Bradley is not Loyola's rival.

Yes. It's Bradley-ISU in the MVC and nothing comes close. Yeah, the intensity has faded some over the years but it's still the league's best rivalry.

by **goramblers2011** » January 14th, 2022, 11:33 am

Loyola doesn't really have a "true" rival in the way that IlSt/BU have with each other. I think our top rivals are the other city programs--DePaul and UIC. Problem is, neither is in our conference and we don't play either really consistently (especially DePaul).

Northwestern would be a fun rivalry given the proximity, but they refuse to play so...no rivalry there.