Belmont to Missouri Valley

[squirrel]

This guy is the sports editor for the Nashville Star and says conferences (note the plural) have been pursuing Belmont and Murray as a package deal.
https://www.williamsonhomepage.com/bren ... 988e7.html

[All-MVC Fan]

Welcome to the Valley of Death, Belmont Bruins! Glad to see the Valley finally stepped up and asked you to dance, and you said yes! Fun times ahead!!!

[Drakey]

I don't get this public/private debate. Who cares. The fact of the matter is the Valley is never going to be anything but a basketball conference. The best available basketball programs are likely t o be private, because except for teams in a power 5 conference, the best basketball programs are likely to be at schools that either don't have Football or who have non-scholarship Football. This conference should be all about trying to make it the best basketball conference outside the power 5 and Big East.

[tribecalledquest]

If Bradley adds Belmont the next logical addition (if they wanted in) is Wright State.

[TylerDurden]

Wright State, as an institution, is a hot mess. I'd welcome Scott Nagy, but hard pass on Wright State.

https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news ... -2021.html

[Dawgbit]

I like the Belmont add, would also like Murray ST, am indifferent to UTA and UALR, but none of that gets us 3-4 bids. We will remain pretty much the same as the national landscape remains tilted away from MM's.

You must be really fun at parties.

Just never have seen an argument that made sense as to why we would jump up 1-2 bids with any of these adds. The OVC will still get their 1 bid, so then we will still be battling mid range P-5 teams for the same # at large as before. If Belmont is good in the MVC , they'll add a couple losses to most teams resume, and a quality win to a couple; like wise they'll have a couple more losses than they're used to even if solid in MVC play. Same with Murray St if they come; I just don't see any scenario where that all of a sudden bucks the trend of most of the at large bids going to the P-5 and BE mid range teams. They have a built in advantage to the # of Q1 and Q2 games they'll play in a given year and that is the main criteria being used anymore for at large bids. A team like Belmont helps some, but most P-5 will simply have far more Q1/Q2 opportunities to overcome than a normal MM schedule can provide. I think we can be a sold 2 bid league in good years, and maybe have that 3rd team once in a blue moon, but also still have those 1 bid years as well. Just don't see 3-4 as feasible as a standard.

And that is because there is no argument where it makes sense. Who thinks that Belmont, and especially Murray State, will have gaudy W/L numbers in the MVC? Murray does well anymore to beat Belmont for the OVC championship. Even when Murray had their once-in-a-lifetime player that they literally stumbled across they failed to make it to the Sweet Sixteen while "dominating" the OVC. At the end of the day the Power conferences will continue to get undeserved bids at the expense of the MVC et al. We are leaving money on the table.

[smidge34]

I guess our other lottery pick PG a couple years prior to Ja was another “once in a lifetime player” too. Lmao.

[squirrel]

And that is because there is no argument where it makes sense. Who thinks that Belmont, and especially Murray State, will have gaudy W/L numbers in the MVC? Murray does well anymore to beat Belmont for the OVC championship. Even when Murray had their once-in-a-lifetime player that they literally stumbled across they failed to make it to the Sweet Sixteen while "dominating" the OVC. At the end of the day the Power conferences will continue to get undeserved bids at the expense of the MVC et al. We are leaving money on the table.

There is truth here, but the opposite is also true. Fordham and La Salle were perennial NCAA teams when the A10 expanded in the early 1990's. I believe La Salle's Sweet 16 season a few years back is the only bid between the 2 programs since joining the league.

But UNI and Loyola were largely looked down upon when admitted (even though UNI was coming off some good seasons), and now they are practically the gold standard for the league. Evansville was considered a strong add, and they did have a good run in the late 1990's, but have since then been largely terrible.

So, yes, Belmont and Murray will have to prove their worth in the league, but until they get here and struggle, there's no point in bringing them down.

There's no definite formula that guarantees success.

[MVCfans]

I am excited for Belmont, and presumably Murray State, joining the Valley.

That said, I am a little surprised - daresay, disappointed - that we have not had a single Belmont fan join in the last 24 hours to celebrate with us. I have seen some commentary online that Belmont fans do not travel well and might not represent at Arch Madness. I guess we will see if that is true or not.

[DUBulldog]

I don't want to throw a damper on this, but how reliable is this Matt Brown guy? Just because some random guy tweeted that it's happening doesn't mean it's a sure thing.

In any case, if Belmont joins the MVC, I'll be very happy with that, especially if Murray State comes along, too.