MVC Games - XMas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa Break

[BigMacAttack]

UE holds off Murray State to win 78-76 in OT.

[Rambler63]

Valpo had a three possession lead over Arkansas late in the game but lost 72-68. The Crusaders are looking like a really good under the radar team in the MVC this season.

[AD1770]

IN ST
UNI
Davidson

Toledo

[MissouriValleyUnite]

Colorado knocks off #13 Dayton picking up a proxy win for UNI. Only loss for either team outside of Kansas was Northern Iowa.

No stream for Valparaiso @ Arkansas. So whatever officiating happened in Little Rock, stays in Little Rock.

Evansville wins an uptempo thriller in OT. Crowd looked electric. Turns out it was the 8th largest attended game at Ford Center:
3/9/19 Murray vs Belmont (10525)
1/31/16 Wichita @ Evansville (10034)
11/16/11 Indiana @ Evansville (9640)
11/12/11 Butler @ Evansville (9454)
2/16/14 Wichita @ Evansville (8802)
3/8/19 Murray vs Jacksonville St (8294)
12/30/15 Indiana St @ Evansville (7801)
12/21/19 Murray @ Evansville (7316)

[VUGrad1314]

Further underscoring the need for Murray State to be added. Look at those attendance numbers and this isn't even a particularly great Murray State team.

[Salukimadness86]

Further underscoring the need for Murray State to be added. Look at those attendance numbers and this isn't even a particularly great Murray State team.

Agree about adding Murray State. Makes sense location wise, however that puts the league at 11. Who's your 12th team?

[BCPanther]

UNI beats Marshall in a sloppy one, 88-80.

Green with 24, Berhow with 23 & 11.

UNI heads to league play 11-1 with a Top 25 NET.

[SalukiWorld]

Further underscoring the need for Murray State to be added. Look at those attendance numbers and this isn't even a particularly great Murray State team.

Agree about adding Murray State. Makes sense location wise, however that puts the league at 11. Who's your 12th team?

I think it would make sense to add someone like Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Murray State wouldn't really give you a market upgrade but getting into the Milwaukee market would help the league.

[Blers]

Ramblers lose a close one to Davidson 59-56. Really physical game, Lucas Williamson hurt his foot 10 minutes into the game and did not return, hoping it's not serious... Then Krutwig went down HARD on his hip soon after but toughed it out (he was off for the rest of the game), and Tate Hall was out for most of the second half with questionable fouls at best.

I really think they win that game 4 times out of 5, especially if healthy. Really thought we were the better team; and had a GREAT look down 1 with ten seconds left that rimmed out, but still gotta learn to put a team away after being up 9 with about 15 minutes left.

Another impressive performance by Kennedy. He's gone for 11 or more in 3 of his last 4 and had at least two steals in each game. Clemons return has REALLY taken pressure off him.

[VUGrad1314]

It is a shame You can see how good Loyola would be if they had been healthy. Hopefully this year just helps them build depth for next year.

As for the who is the 12th team question If we wanted UWM it would have been done already. Chasing markets over success is a strategy that has doomed other leagues in the past and I don't want to see the MVC repeat that mistake. Loyola was a different kind of choice because they were a private school with a well-heeled alumni base committed to building a sustainable winner which is why I fear that they might be a flight risk if any moves are made in other leagues. UWM has no such advantages. Being a public commuter school that is part of a larger university system means that there is always going to be a ceiling for how far that program can go and honestly outside of a few great years under Bruce Pearl they have ranged from solid (19-20 wins) to mediocre to downright bad. If i had to bite the bullet and gamble on potential I would rather try a school like Wright State or NKU but that stretches the footprint fairly considerably If Oral Roberts was better (and had better academics) they would be an awesome fit as a private counterbalance. I wish Belmont and SLU would get over themselves but they won't and I wish it was possible to take South Dakota State but it isn't basically it's a rehash of the same list we've talked about for years now. I think we'll probably have to see what opportunities moves by other conferences open up. It's highly unlikely but maybe the right collection of circumstances and moves could put SLU Belmont and\or Tulsa into play but I wouldn't hold my breath on any of that. I still fail to see the big issue with 11 even if it creates non revenue sport scheduling issues Those can be figured out and smoothed over it just takes a strong will to make it happen. It's the right move for the conference and makes us better.