(non-MVC) Realignment News

[VUGrad1314]

I know woulda coulda shoulda and almost doesn't count but to be fair Murray State has come within an eyelash of several Tournament wins including what would have been two Sweet 16 appearances. Here's a brief rundown:

1988 2nd round Lost to Kansas by 3 61-58

1990 they nearly UMBC'd Michigan State losing by four in OT 75-71

1997 Lost to Duke by 3 71-68

2006 Lost to North Carolina by four 69-65 (Not bad for a bunch of guys who actually have to go to class when they aren't at practice)

2010 2nd round Lost to Butler by 2 54-52

Give Murray State just a few more bounces their way and they could be looking at at minimum a 9-12 all time tournament record which would have them tied with Loyola for second among current Valley members. Their total (4) is ahead of Missouri State ISUr Evansville and Valpo and just one behind ISUb Drake and UNI and just two behind SIU. if you ask me their all time resume stacks up just fine against any MVC member. And this is coming from somebody who likes the idea of adding the Dakotas, but Murray State brings a good traveling fanbase (would the Dakota fans really travel all the way to STL for a tournament? I Think that's a big reason why they haven't been added yet to be honest.) and is within our footprint so they present much fewer travel concerns than the Dakotas especially in wintertime. I'd rather see us build as strong a league as we can without the Dakotas and then bring them in as a sort of final move to solidify the conference once and for all. But we shouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves. It's been hard enough to convince the MVC to just add Murray State, let alone schools several hours outside the footprint.

[Majik45]

I don't want to trash Murray State because they are a great program, but they are 4-17 all time in the NCAA tournament. They've never been to a Sweet 16 either.

When Creighton was dominating the Valley in the early 2000's, they never made the sweet 16. Starting with the 1999 tournament, they made the tournament 9 times as a member of the valley over the next 15 year and never reached the sweet 16. They were a combined 4-9 in the tournament during that time.

The NCAA tournament is very fickle and all about getting a good match-up. Get a good match-up, and you can make a run. Get a bad match-up, and your tournament is over. Making the sweet 16 takes a good team, and a little luck, so not the best way to measure a program. Especially when they are given seeds of 12 and below I bet.

[LanceShock]

The NCAA tournament is very fickle and all about getting a good match-up. Get a good match-up, and you can make a run. Get a bad match-up, and your tournament is over. Making the sweet 16 takes a good team, and a little luck, so not the best way to measure a program. Especially when they are given seeds of 12 and below I bet.

So very true.

[tribecalledquest]

The NCAA tournament is very fickle and all about getting a good match-up. Get a good match-up, and you can make a run. Get a bad match-up, and your tournament is over. Making the sweet 16 takes a good team, and a little luck, so not the best way to measure a program. Especially when they are given seeds of 12 and below I bet.

So very true.

Right. The best way to judge a team and program is in season and regular season success. Much less fluky.

[mvfcfan]

To answer the question about the Dakota fans traveling to St Louis for Arch Madness, I couldn't tell you for sure. I do know from experience that NDSU and USD (I don't remember how many SDSU brought) bring more fans to Terre Haute in football than any other schools in the MVFC and it's not even close. I know the Summit League tourney is in their back yard, but it is extremely well attended. I would say at first both XDSU's (individually) would bring roughly the same amount of fans as Drake, Indiana State, and Loyola at first and then eventually be one of the better drawers. Their fans are used to traveling and they will show when their team is good, especially in the post season.

[mvfcfan]

Obviously the Summit League gets it. Too bad the MVC doesn't and can't make 11 work with the Racers.

After arguing about the importance of an even number of teams for ease of scheduling, Douple quickly changed course, “I don’t think we’re caught up in the numbers. Ten is ideal when you come to a balanced schedule, but we can make it work with 9, 10, 11, or 12. We can make it work. Numbers (don’t) really make a difference to us. We want to get the right fit, get the right teams in here, and we’ll make a schedule work.”

[tribecalledquest]

Obviously the Summit League gets it. Too bad the MVC doesn't and can't make 11 work with the Racers.

After arguing about the importance of an even number of teams for ease of scheduling, Douple quickly changed course, “I don’t think we’re caught up in the numbers. Ten is ideal when you come to a balanced schedule, but we can make it work with 9, 10, 11, or 12. We can make it work. Numbers (don’t) really make a difference to us. We want to get the right fit, get the right teams in here, and we’ll make a schedule work.”

Talk to the presidents in the ivory towers about Murray State. None of it has to do with athletics really.

[VUGrad1314]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Wichita State hasn't exactly had the most sterling academic reputation but the MVC was more than content to have them in the conference for decades and those presidents I'm sure gleefully accepted the money they generated for them. Just saying. Time to drop the elitism and do what's best for the conference. Add Murray State and we could easily be looking at another UNI at minimum.

[BCPanther]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Wichita State hasn't exactly had the most sterling academic reputation but the MVC was more than content to have them in the conference for decades and those presidents I'm sure gleefully accepted the money they generated for them. Just saying. Time to drop the elitism and do what's best for the conference. Add Murray State and we could easily be looking at another UNI at minimum.

97.1% acceptance rate a Wichita doesn't exactly scream 'Academic Powerhouse'

For comparison:
UNI--80.8%
Illinois State--89.1%
Indiana State--84.5%
SIU-C--72.0%
Missouri State--84.7%

[mvfcfan]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Wichita State hasn't exactly had the most sterling academic reputation but the MVC was more than content to have them in the conference for decades and those presidents I'm sure gleefully accepted the money they generated for them. Just saying. Time to drop the elitism and do what's best for the conference. Add Murray State and we could easily be looking at another UNI at minimum.

I agree. Who really cares? It would be one thing if they were a school that was put on APR sanctions regularly like some of the HBCU's. The MVC isn't exactly the Ivy League of the Midwest, this is a sports conference.