If we go to 12 who do you want (choose 2) poll?

[mvfcfan]

Oral Roberts drew over 3000 in their worst season in 23 years (8-22, last in Summit).
Murray State drew over 3000 in their worst season in 30 years (1987).

Sign me up.

Both schools have a history of winning. Murray State has had a winning season for 34 of the past 36 seasons, while Oral Roberts had 14 consecutive winning seasons this century.

Belmont has turned down the MVC twice now. They are not worth going after at this point. Their fanbase also seems non-existent. The OVC makes more sense for them anyways. The way the OVC tourney is set up they have to win 2 games to make the NCAA tournament against weaker OVC teams. The MVC is a better conference and they would have to win 3 games to make it. Plus Belmont is getting an auto bid to the NIT every year and their conference fits them better geographically. I can totally understand why they want to stay put. Less travel and a better chance of making one of the top 2 tournaments (NCAA and NIT) every year.

[VUGrad1314]

Just some food for thought here: Oral Roberts' winning percentage since returning to the Summit League after their inexplicable 3 year dalliance with the Southland that in my mind crippled their program: .430 AND they're coming off a terrible season Yes they have a new coach but they also badly mishandled the departure of the previous coach. I get that the potential is there based on past performance and if the administration stays the heck out of the way of athletics but be careful rushing into a partnership with them. I agree that the MVC should expand but the decision should not be rushed and we should be very sure that we have the right schools before proceeding. While there is a lot to like about ORU's PAST there isn't a lot to like about their PRESENT and their FUTURE is, at best, uncertain. Would take them immediately as a baseball-only add; but as an all-sports add I prefer to wait on them to prove that they're on more solid footing as a program before inviting them. This expansion decision is critical to the future of the MVC and it is absolutely imperative that we get it right. None of the teams we're considering are going anywhere anytime soon anyway.

[Nebraskajack]

Oral Roberts drew over 3000 in their worst season in 23 years (8-22, last in Summit).
Murray State drew over 3000 in their worst season in 30 years (1987).

Sign me up.

Some schools count people in seats and some count tickets sold. Watch some high light videos and tell me which one you think ORU is. From the games we have played against them I can tell you they greatly exaggerate their attendance based on people in attendance.

[All-MVC Fan]

Just some food for thought here: Oral Roberts' winning percentage since returning to the Summit League after their inexplicable 3 year dalliance with the Southland that in my mind crippled their program: .430 AND they're coming off a terrible season Yes they have a new coach but they also badly mishandled the departure of the previous coach. I get that the potential is there based on past performance and if the administration stays the heck out of the way of athletics but be careful rushing into a partnership with them. I agree that the MVC should expand but the decision should not be rushed and we should be very sure that we have the right schools before proceeding. While there is a lot to like about ORU's PAST there isn't a lot to like about their PRESENT and their FUTURE is, at best, uncertain. Would take them immediately as a baseball-only add; but as an all-sports add I prefer to wait on them to prove that they're on more solid footing as a program before inviting them. This expansion decision is critical to the future of the MVC and it is absolutely imperative that we get it right. None of the teams we're considering are going anywhere anytime soon anyway.

Didn't Bill Self and Barry Hinson both coach at ORU before Sutton? If my memory is correct, they've made more right decisions than wrong ones with their basketball program...

[VUGrad1314]

And? Bruce Weber and Matt Painter coached at Southern Illinois. That doesn't mean they're a great program now. It may speak to their potential that they made those great coaching hires so long ago, just as it does for SIU, but it doesn't change the fact that we're looking at a program with a lot more questions than answers since 2008.

[All-MVC Fan]

And? Bruce Weber and Matt Painter coached at Southern Illinois. That doesn't mean they're a great program now. It may speak to their potential that they made those great coaching hires so long ago, just as it does for SIU, but it doesn't change the fact that we're looking at a program with a lot more questions than answers since 2008.

True. I was just pointing out that they do have a history of making good decisions. Nothing more. They could go full on in the crapper, but history would suggest otherwise.

[mvfcfan]

So here's a serious question. I know that the MVC and MVFC are not technically the same conference, but in reality they are. Some of the members on this forum are against NDSU and SDSU because we are a basketball first conference. What I don't understand is if we are basketball first than why does our football seem to always have more success than basketball as of late? The past 6 seasons the MVFC has made the national title game. One year it was even an all-MVFC title game. Basketball on the other hand gets 1 bid and typically doesn't get any farther than the second round.

Simple Mean (Sagarin) Ratings for the MVC last year
With Wichita State= 74.12 (ranked 10th)
With Valpo instead of Wichita= 72.72 (ranked 11th)

Simple Mean Ratings for MVC with potential candidates
With Murray State and Oral Roberts= 71.95 (ranked 11th)
With Murray State and N. Kentucky= 72.40 (ranked 11th)
With NDSU and SDSU= 72.44 (ranked 11th)

Simple Mean Rating for MVFC last year
MVFC= 57.97 (ranked 9th, ranked #1 in FCS)
with UND= 57.96 (ranked 9th, ranked #1 in FCS)
with UND and Murray State= 56.39 (ranked 10th, ranked #1 in FCS)

As can be seen there are no two schools out there that raise our ratings for basketball. In fact all of them lower our simple mean ratings. NDSU and SDSU lower it the least. However as can be seen none of the combos lowers our overall ranking. No matter what we stay at #11. Murray State would drop us in football in our overall ranking, but the MVFC would still be ranked #1 in the FCS standings.

Based on this information I think that NDSU and SDSU are probably the two best additions. They contribute heavily to the MVFC and they also bring in solid basketball. NDSU and SDSU have definitely proven themselves worthy of an invite IMO. The only downfall to them is travel.

To be honest as long as it is either NDSU and SDSU; or MuSu and ORU I will be happy. I still prefer MuSu and ORU by a hair because of travel. However both combinations are full of potential and neither combination makes the MVC any worse in the overall conference rankings. We are pretty much a solid #11 right now no matter what we do. The only thing that will bring it up or down is when our teams take the court in the late Fall.

And honestly I think a lot of people wouldn't have a problem with ORU except they don't agree with them politically or they hold something against them that happened well over 10 years ago, that has nothing to do with the current administration. The fact is that they play in an MVC quality facility, as opposed to a glorified high school arena. They spend the same amount as almost every other MVC team. They give MSU a travel partner. They get Murray State in the conference. They keep the public-private split even. There's really not much question in my mind that Murray State and Oral Roberts should be the first two schools on the MVC's "contact list". Also as I stated above this combination does not bring the conferences rating down. It would stay at #11. Oral Roberts just had their worst season in a while, as did Murray State, so I'd expect that rating to go up. I don't think a MuSu / ORU combo would be a rushed decision, I think it would be the right decision.

[MSUDuo]

I'm all for the XDSU's being added but it's apples to oranges.

[uniftw]

Didn't Bill Self and Barry Hinson both coach at ORU before Sutton? If my memory is correct, they've made more right decisions than wrong ones with their basketball program...

UWM hired Bo Ryan and Bruce Pearl, yet almost everyone is against UWM because of their athletic department being a complete yet

What's the difference? UWM is caught up in public school bull crap causing them to fall backwards.
ORU is caught up in private school, religious, bull crap that is causing them to fall backwards.

One of those is easier to "swallow" from a PR perspective, and I'll give you a hint as to which one it is: it doesn't involve a travel partner for Missouri State

[mvfcfan]

I wouldn't have been against adding Murray State and UW Milwaukee this last time around. I actually like Milwaukee to a point. The fact that we didn't add UW Milwaukee this last time around though makes me question rather they will even be in consideration this next time around.

UWM, ORU, and NKU all have numerous question marks around them. No one is denying that.

On the other hand NDSU and SDSU really don't have any question marks besides the travel. But let's be serious, if you can spend over 2 million dollars on your basketball team per year you should be able to afford to travel to Fargo and Brookings a few times a year, especially if they improve your brand in both football and basketball. They are the only two schools I would add from the Dakotas as of right now though. I think North Dakota and South Dakota still have more to prove before we take them on. The XDSU schools really don't have anymore to prove. They've been making NCAA tournaments and they are both the primary reason the MVFC is ranked so high.

There's no question in my mind that the Dakota States are the best adds out there. They are located in a place where they can't be easily poached. They are also the primary teams in their states which opens up a bigger market to the MVC. Murray State is a good add, but there isn't any 12th team out there that doesn't have question marks all over them.