Welcome Murray State to the MVC!

[Action10]

Here is what’s interesting about that- currently there are three MM basketball conferences. The WCC is the west coast, the A10 is the east coast, and the Valley is set to be “everywhere in between”. That’s huge. That’s how you boost name recognition.

Good points. I do have an interesting thought/question... Among the 5 conferences that are competing to be #7, where do we put the MVC at? I'm talking about the American, Atlantic-10, MVC, Mountain West, and WCC in their new forms.

[unipanther99]

Oh for sure. I am hearing that there will be no divisional split so that may push Western Illinois and Youngstown to look elsewhere due to travel and that's not at all a bad thing.

Honestly, WIU and YSU to OVC probably makes a lot of sense for all involved at this point.

[IllinoisState]

Oh for sure. I am hearing that there will be no divisional split so that may push Western Illinois and Youngstown to look elsewhere due to travel and that's not at all a bad thing.

Honestly, WIU and YSU to OVC probably makes a lot of sense for all involved at this point.

Do you think Jim Tressel would want or allow that move?

[BCPanther]

Here is what’s interesting about that- currently there are three MM basketball conferences. The WCC is the west coast, the A10 is the east coast, and the Valley is set to be “everywhere in between”. That’s huge. That’s how you boost name recognition.

Good points. I do have an interesting thought/question... Among the 5 conferences that are competing to be #7, where do we put the MVC at? I'm talking about the American, Atlantic-10, MVC, Mountain West, and WCC in their new forms.

The WCC is losing BYU which is a huge loss and Gonzaga would be crippling.

The American went all in on football and that's just flat not going to be a good basketball league outside of SMU and Memphis and we know they'll both take the first train out of town. Wichita becomes the standard bearer in that scenario and its a way worse league than they left.

The A10 is the A10. The top of that league is a lot like us in that it goes in waves. I don't see much change going forward even with adding Loyola.

The Mountain West is a lot like us and the A10. The top kind of cycles around though the bottom of that league is usually not very good.

I'd extend the though further and say that the 5 major regions now each have their own dominant just below P5 league. West-WCC, Mountains-MW, Midwest-Valley, South-American, East A10.

If I were ranking them with where we stand with known realignment, I'd go A10, Mountain West, Valley, American, WCC.

[siudawgs]

Belatedly adding my thumb's up for this move. Especially enthused about the prospect of a fun/heated SIU-Murray rivalry gaining steam and adding an engaged Racer fan base to the Arch Madness mix.

Would have loved to have added Murray/Belmont while retaining Loyola, but hopefully UIC can make some progress with its basketball program and develop into a decent or better Chicago presence for the league.

[BCPanther]

Oh for sure. I am hearing that there will be no divisional split so that may push Western Illinois and Youngstown to look elsewhere due to travel and that's not at all a bad thing.

Honestly, WIU and YSU to OVC probably makes a lot of sense for all involved at this point.

Do you think Jim Tressel would want or allow that move?

I think ol' Jimmy would be just fine with a football only move to the CAA or OVC. They LOVED their time as a big fish in a little pond.

[RacerJoeD]

Here is what’s interesting about that- currently there are three MM basketball conferences. The WCC is the west coast, the A10 is the east coast, and the Valley is set to be “everywhere in between”. That’s huge. That’s how you boost name recognition.

Good points. I do have an interesting thought/question... Among the 5 conferences that are competing to be #7, where do we put the MVC at? I'm talking about the American, Atlantic-10, MVC, Mountain West, and WCC in their new forms.

This is where it gets interesting. I would argue that, top to bottom, the MVC has a better conference than the MWC, A10, and WCC. Now before people freak out about that, each of those conferences are led by two or so top level programs. The MWC it’s Utah and UNLV. The A10 is Dayton and maybe VCU. For the WCC its Gonzaga followed by St Marys. I think that is the only difference between the MVC and those conferences- a couple of teams have made the next step. Honestly, so have a few teams in the MVC too, but they have moved on. If a team or two can take the next step in the MVC, there will be years where the Valley will be #7.

As for the AAC, who knows. Some good programs historically. On paper they should be #7 year in and year out, but half their schools are chasing football and who knows who will actually be in the AAC in a few years.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

Honestly, WIU and YSU to OVC probably makes a lot of sense for all involved at this point.

Do you think Jim Tressel would want or allow that move?

I think ol' Jimmy would be just fine with a football only move to the CAA or OVC. They LOVED their time as a big fish in a little pond.

Jim Tressel was actually the biggest force behind moving YSU out of the OVC, and that was when the OVC was much stronger with MTSU, EKU, etc.

[BCPanther]

They were a viable independent then and a power program. Not so much anymore.

[Bird23]

Now let’s make sure the tournament stays in STL!