MVC Schedules

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

So... IF the MVC adds Murray-- who would be the 12th school?

If not Belmont then nobody. Stay at 11 and go to 20 conference games. Problem is Elgin and the President's don't want 11 because it some ridiculous must have a travel partner thing yet a lot of other conferences can do including poorer conferences

[VUGrad1314]

I'm consistent. Obviously one of the oft discussed private schools SLU and Belmont are my preference. Otherwise my preference is for no 12th as it always has been. All my searching for other schools was under the assumption that we HAVE to have a 12th. As a 12th I'd be fine with Northern Kentucky or South Dakota State but it's useless to take one Dakota school and I'm not interested in any expansion scenario that doesn't include Murray State except MAYBE NDSU and SDSU and even then I'd rather have Murray State. NKU at least gives us the Cincinnati market while also being a good program so they're my first choice right now if we ABSOLUTELY need a 12th and can't get either of the other no brainers. I don't expect the MVC to drag its feet too much longer on this. Conferences ranked lower than us are expanding to 12 and expanding their schedules. I really don't think we have a choice anymore to be honest. We need to at least do 11/20. We're losing scheduling opportunities leftand right and a series every year with Murray State would be better than a lot of what's out there for the final two non conference slots. We can hope that a new younger coach at Belmont gives them ambition to embrace a new challenge but failing that we could do far worse than NKU but I have heard concerns about their budget and being the outlier they might have to spend more to offset the increased travel. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to have our top teams (presumably UNI Loyola and Bradley this year) absolutely tear it up this year and be in position for 2-3 bids with nobody in the conference being bad. That should convince some of our strongest candidates to really consider making the jump.

[TOPSTRAIGHT]

I am somewhat familiar with Belmont. IMO they are very unlikely to accept an invite. St. Louis is determined to stay with private catholics. NKU is slightly out of footprint and relatively new. I have run out of great answers.

[VUGrad1314]

If Belmont is out then our answers for a twelfth relatively within our footprint are close to nil. They're all dice rolls at that point, pulling a Milwaukee Little Rock or Oral Roberts and hope the move up makes them better. I still think the best path for us at this point is 11\20 and Murray State and hold the twelfth spot open. And that's if Murray State still wants us. It's very possible we missed the boat on them. But the writing is on the wall as far as the need for expansion. If everyone else is at 20 games where are we going to go to fill our non conference slots that would be better than just taking a home and home every year with the Racers? There was an argument for the anti-expansion position 2-3 years ago now that argument is evaporating quickly especially since Murray State can further our multibid aspirations. And again that's if the Racers still want the MVC. I don't think I was wrong on this issue being so pro-expansion to at least 11 I was just early.

[mvfcfan]

11/20 is 100% the correct answer. The MVC did it for a few years in the 90's when it added Evansville. The footprint was also more spread out then since it included Tulsa, Wichita, and Creighton.

[BCPanther]

UNI will play New Mexico State in Sioux Falls.

Good game in a really neat venue.

[jsaluki080]

11/20 is 100% the correct answer. The MVC did it for a few years in the 90's when it added Evansville. The footprint was also more spread out then since it included Tulsa, Wichita, and Creighton.

Agreed. It has been done before.
Why not again for awhile?
Go 11 and surely, several years later we'll find a suitable 12th.

[Adunk33]

If the "Cancun" Challenge happens, the Birds open against Purdue.

[ColonialBulldog]

11/20 is 100% the correct answer. The MVC did it for a few years in the 90's when it added Evansville. The footprint was also more spread out then since it included Tulsa, Wichita, and Creighton.

Agreed. It has been done before.
Why not again for awhile?
Go 11 and surely, several years later we'll find a suitable 12th.

I agree with you. I would love to see how St. Thomas' transition to D1 goes five-ten years down the road. Might sound crazy, but I'm bullish simply because of the amount of elite talent there is in the cities and their campus/facilities are already impressive. (They will need to upgrade their gym for D1 though).

[BCPanther]

There's no chance we take another mouth to feed right now. You might want to take a look at the economic crisis on the horizon.