Updated 1/6/18: MVC Expansion Poll

[VUGrad1314]

Very interesting development here. The NIT expanding can only be good for leagues like the MVC. I think it negatively impacts expansion though especially as far as Belmont is concerned. With an even greater chance to make at least the NIT they have even less incentive to take on the challenges presented by the MVC.

https://thesouthern.com/sports/college/ ... a2e08.html

Assuming the top 3 options are out, the candidate list should be (in this order)
Murray State
NKU\Wright State
Wright State\NKU
Milwaukee\UIC
UIC\Milwaukee
Dakotas
Oakland
Denver
UDM
Green Bay
Oral Roberts
Lipscomb (can move up this list very fast with greater consistency)

If we're going to roll the dice on a school with potential I'd prefer to do so on a school that has shown some signs in the recent past or is beginning to show them now.

[VUGrad1314]

Potentially interesting realignment news. Although UMASS (and I would assume Army) possibly moving to the AAC is unlikely to impact the MVC it will be interesting to see how the domino effect it would cause would impact the mid-major landscape. It would have a sizable impact on the A10, as the loss of UMASS and potentially another team to be the basketball fill-in for Army who would be football only (most likely VCU) might cause SLU or even Dayton to re-evaluate their conference position. Who knows? Dayton or SLU themselves could move. Another possible candidate might be Loyola which would be a nightmare for the MVC.

https://twitter.com/howardherman/status ... 0107151363

[RacerJoeD]

From Jon Rothstein, College Basketball Insider on CBS-

“20-game conference slated already taking a toll on scheduling for future seasons. WARNING: If you are not in a Top-Seven league (Power-5, Big East, or American), you are an ENDANGERED SPECIES.”
(All emphasis his)

[All-MVC Fan]

From Jon Rothstein, College Basketball Insider on CBS-

“20-game conference slated already taking a toll on scheduling for future seasons. WARNING: If you are not in a Top-Seven league (Power-5, Big East, or American), you are an ENDANGERED SPECIES.”
(All emphasis his)

NCAA to P5 AD’s: “If we can’t KICK them out, we’ll SCHEDULE them out.”

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

The mvc, mwc (especially with gonzaga), and the a-10 in its current form (without realighnment) will also fine I truly believe. Top 10.

[VU2014]

The mvc, mwc (especially with gonzaga), and the a-10 in its current form (without realighnment) will also fine I truly believe. Top 10.

It depends on your definition of "fine". Things definitely won't be getting any easier. You can make a good case that things will get harder for mid-majors. In the current state of the NCAA selection Quadrant system, it is paramount for At-Large hopeful teams to get Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 opponents on their OOC schedule. It's nearly impossible to get a P5/BE team to come play you at your gym. The only way that happens is if your head coach has a connection (example: Drake's HC will eventually get a series with Creighton as a favor). MVC teams NEED to get in the quality Neutral Site tournaments or else there is almost no chance to play those teams.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

The mvc, mwc (especially with gonzaga), and the a-10 in its current form (without realighnment) will also fine I truly believe. Top 10.

It depends on your definition of "fine". Things definitely won't be getting any easier. You can make a good case that things will get harder for mid-majors. In the current state of the NCAA selection Quadrant system, it is paramount for At-Large hopeful teams to get Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 opponents on their OOC schedule. It's nearly impossible to get a P5/BE team to come play you at your gym. The only way that happens is if your head coach has a connection (example: Drake's HC will eventually get a series with Creighton as a favor). MVC teams NEED to get in the quality Neutral Site tournaments or else there is almost no chance to play those teams.

7

Realignment will eventually wreck the a-10 and American. Good chance it wrecks the MWC as a football conference bit with additions like Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, nmsu, byu, and St mary's basketball should thrive. The mvc won't get wrecked by realignment unless the big East takes loyola which I doubt because depaul. The MWC and mvc might very well be 7th and 8th respectively but they'll be right there after the a-10 and American falls off.

[VUGrad1314]

What will be interesting is to see how the AAC rebounds and whether schools like Wichita State stick around. If they don't, does Wichita State go west (I think they would if schools like Gonzaga St Mary's GCU and NMSU are there too) or back to the MVC?

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

Potentially interesting realignment news. Although UMASS (and I would assume Army) possibly moving to the AAC is unlikely to impact the MVC it will be interesting to see how the domino effect it would cause would impact the mid-major landscape. It would have a sizable impact on the A10, as the loss of UMASS and potentially another team to be the basketball fill-in for Army who would be football only (most likely VCU) might cause SLU or even Dayton to re-evaluate their conference position. Who knows? Dayton or SLU themselves could move. Another possible candidate might be Loyola which would be a nightmare for the MVC.

https://twitter.com/howardherman/status ... 0107151363

This isn’t news. A commissioner isn’t going to publicly reject someone who might one day be a candidate. Of course if he’s asked about a school he’ll compliment them. The PAC commissioner did the same thing with San Diego St and Boise St. Non-story.

[VUGrad1314]

Believe it or not there's actually a great deal of incentive for the AAC to get this done now prior to the media negotiations:

Adding UMASS and Army\VCU benefits the AAC in the following ways:

Gives UCONN a close rival, probably placating them and forestalling any movement on their part
Adds a flagship university and a service academy which is a major boon to overall prestige
Gets them into the Boston\Springfield market
Gives them the whole Army-Navy game which is huge for branding
Adds at least one other strong basketball brand that fits well geographically
Severely weakens a rival conference

Furthermore, you don't know what the article will say. It could be more than simple compliments for UMASS. Remember when asked Elgin said that he felt that Murray State "fel like an MVC institution." Although they aren't in yet I believe that there's every indication that they'll be in soon. Even so, that's a remarkably direct statement to make that goes beyond being generally complimentary. Maybe there's a statement like that that would give UMASS legitimate hope. Let's wait for the article to come out.