Public vs Private - The Competitive Imbalance

[Rambler63]

In 1997, Butler was an underachieving private school in the MCC (soon to be Horizon League) that hadn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1962.

Gonzaga had one NCAA Tournament appearance before 1999.

Northwestern had never appeared in the NCAA men's basketball tournament before last season.

Private schools have won the NCAA men's basketball championship for 2 of the last three years.

The Big East, a conference composed of high-budget private schools primarily in the Midwest and East, had 7 of their 10 members in the NCAA tournament last year.

The theory that Public schools are inherently better than Private schools in basketball is hilarious.

[shocktheheart]

Yeah the "class of the Valley" couldn't even get to the championship game two of the past three years. And you're telling me to get out of here. You're the team that's leaving to the AAC. Not even sure why you're on here anymore.

Pretty sure the conference was holding you back all those years though, since you weren't good enough to get the AQ but 2 times in 29 years!!!

Love valley basketball that is why I'm still here. Six straight NCAA tournaments and yes the valley was not making it easy for an atlarge bid. WSU basically almost had to go undefeated in conference play to get an at large bid. I hope they choose Valpo for sure and possibly Murray St. I will still watch Valley basketball but it will be different not being in the league

[Mikovio]

In 1997, Butler was an underachieving private school in the MCC (soon to be Horizon League) that hadn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1962.

Gonzaga had one NCAA Tournament appearance before 1999.

Northwestern had never appeared in the NCAA men's basketball tournament before last season.

Private schools have won the NCAA men's basketball championship for 2 of the last three years.

The Big East, a conference composed of high-budget private schools primarily in the Midwest and East, had 7 of their 10 members in the NCAA tournament last year.

The theory that Public schools are inherently better than Private schools in basketball is hilarious.

This times a million. Plus I'd add another private-- Creighton-- was dominating the league before the Big East plucked them.

Really, what do the last two MVC teams who have moved up the pecking order have in common? No football. They know where their bread is buttered and commit to it. That's why I say it's less about private vs public but rather about priorities, support and resource commitment. So UNO and the Dakotas should be nonstarters. And I like Murray State despite football because they're basketball-first.

[PantherU]

Basketball comes first. Private, public, doesn't matter. The only thing that would scare me off is if Grand Canyon were a lot closer. They're gonna be a great program, but the for-profit thing gives me the heebie-jeebies.

[Mikovio]

Yeah being a for-profit can cut both ways. It's not just academic snobbery. They're well funded now because the basketball program is profitable. What if the athletic department finished in the red after a few bad years? I don't think the shareholders would be too happy. Axed!

[BCPanther]

In 1997, Butler was an underachieving private school in the MCC (soon to be Horizon League) that hadn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1962.

Gonzaga had one NCAA Tournament appearance before 1999.

Northwestern had never appeared in the NCAA men's basketball tournament before last season.

Private schools have won the NCAA men's basketball championship for 2 of the last three years.

The Big East, a conference composed of high-budget private schools primarily in the Midwest and East, had 7 of their 10 members in the NCAA tournament last year.

The theory that Public schools are inherently better than Private schools in basketball is hilarious.

This times a million. Plus I'd add another private-- Creighton-- was dominating the league before the Big East plucked them.

Really, what do the last two MVC teams who have moved up the pecking order have in common? No football. They know where their bread is buttered and commit to it. That's why I say it's less about private vs public but rather about priorities, support and resource commitment. So UNO and the Dakotas should be nonstarters. And I like Murray State despite football because they're basketball-first.

Creighton wasn't dominating anything. Dana had lost the program and had them full of misfits and questionable JUCOs. Dana bolts because he sees the writing on the wall and Creighton hires a failed B12 coach who happens to bring his All American son that decimates another league team and raises their profile enough singlehandedly to get them into the Big East.

Wichita and UNI had both passed Creighton by and Illinois State was right on their heels.

[Play Angry]

Creighton won 7 conference titles in its last 70 years of membership, including 4 in their last 20+ seasons. They were a good, consistent program but at no point were they close to dominance.

WSU's recent stretch and SIU during the mid 00s were dominant. Creighton was a cute after thought who has never won consecutive games in an NCAA tournament.

[PantherU]

It's important to note that Creighton's president sits on the Marquette Board of Trustees. That Jesuit connection was also a big help for them in getting to the Big East, where there were other Jesuit schools as well.

[Make MVC Great Again]

There are going to be good public and private schools in any conference.

However, my issue is the private schools tend to have the smallest athletic budget of the league. Look at Loyola, Wichita State's basketball budget alone was bigger than their entire athletic budget.

Their endowment is nearly a half-billion, and you are telling me you can't invest any of that into athletics?

If you can't increase your budget, why else do you belong in the league? The league was doing just fine, if not better without you.

[squirrel]

There are going to be good public and private schools in any conference.

However, my issue is the private schools tend to have the smallest athletic budget of the league. Look at Loyola, Wichita State's basketball budget alone was bigger than their entire athletic budget.

Their endowment is nearly a half-billion, and you are telling me you can't invest any of that into athletics?

If you can't increase your budget, why else do you belong in the league? The league was doing just fine, if not better without you.

To be fair, only SIU, Illinois State and UNI outspend Bradley and Drake, and both Bradley and Drake are essentially at the same spending levels as UNI. With success, Bradley could probably leapfrog both Illinois St and UNI, and Loyola has been spending in essential parity with Missouri St, and probably surpasses them with MSU's recent cuts. SIU has been spending at Wichita levels. While your comment is literally true, it's not exactly like they are the dregs of the league. All but Evansville have been funding athletics at competitive levels.

It's not completely out of the realm of possibility that 3 of the top 5 budgets could be privates at any time.