UIC to MVC Gaining Traction

[jsaluki080]

I'll keep beating the drum. The league is better on 7/1/22 than it was on 7/1/21.

I hope you're right. How I yearn for the days when the MVC got consistent multiple bids

[VUGrad1314]

I'll keep beating the drum. The league is better on 7/1/22 than it was on 7/1/21.

I hope you're right. How I yearn for the days when the MVC got consistent multiple bids

If Belmont and Murray State are as good as advertised and other programs continue to step up and get better we should be able to achieve that without much trouble but so much depends on the new additions as well as how our current schools adapt to the post-Loyola world. Who wants to be the next Loyola just like the question before was who wants to be the next Creighton\Wichita State? We have an impressive list of potential candidates as we always have we just need one or preferably several of them to emerge.

[letsgoAces]

With the additions of Belmont and Murray State, the MVC is going to be an even tougher league to finish in the upper division. Not a lot a lot of room for error. I can't help but see this league getting multiple bids in most, if not entirely every year.
I do think the addition of UIC will be absolutely positive. With the right leadership, within a short amount of time the Flames could be quite relevant on the court. I fully welcome their addition.

[Greg]

i hope this is the week we get an answer on whether UIC gets a Valley invite. I have read in a few places that a decision will be done by the end of the month but I could do with less suspense

[Campbellproud]

Losing Loyola hurts, but I am really excited for the direction of the league. Arch Madness will be insane in 2023. Murray will bring a huge crowd, probably similar to the way the Shockers travelled. You’ll have curious Belmont fans and the fans from existing valley schools coming down to watch these new teams in the tournament. It’s going to be a hell of a basketball tournament.

[mvfcfan]

I'm not totally against UIC getting an invite, mainly because of their baseball, but I still wonder how serious of a look they'd get if say Loyola was staying and Missouri State was leaving. Like if Belmont leaves in 8 years is the MVC going to add Lipscomb just to stay in the Nashville market? I'm not trying to be a downer, I just have legitimate questions.

I totally understand the potential argument as well, but most of the Horizon League has quote on quote potential. Valpo ran that league for a long time and it hasn't translated into anything in the MVC yet. UIC as a program has never really done anything spectacular. They are not a Loyola with a deep basketball history. I just think betting on UIC being the next Loyola is pretty risky. Frankly if they're invited I just hope they improve into a mid pack team so they aren't a boat anchor.

If UIC gets invited I'll be okay with it, but I think I'd prefer to see us just stay at 11 for now. Holding out for a NKU would probably be a better option in my view. I've always been leary of adding extension campus teams. UIC is a special case, and there are actually UIC extension campuses around Illinois, but still they are ultimately controlled by Champaign. Schools like UAB (they successfully fought Tuscaloosa) and UN Omaha have been hurt by their parent campuses in recent years.

[BCPanther]

I'm not totally against UIC getting an invite, mainly because of their baseball, but I still wonder how serious of a look they'd get if say Loyola was staying and Missouri State was leaving. Like if Belmont leaves in 8 years is the MVC going to add Lipscomb just to stay in the Nashville market? I'm not trying to be a downer, I just have legitimate questions.

I totally understand the potential argument as well, but most of the Horizon League has quote on quote potential. Valpo ran that league for a long time and it hasn't translated into anything in the MVC yet. UIC as a program has never really done anything spectacular. They are not a Loyola with a deep basketball history. I just think betting on UIC being the next Loyola is pretty risky. Frankly if they're invited I just hope they improve into a mid pack team so they aren't a boat anchor.

If UIC gets invited I'll be okay with it, but I think I'd prefer to see us just stay at 11 for now. Holding out for a NKU would probably be a better option in my view. I've always been leary of adding extension campus teams. UIC is a special case, and there are actually UIC extension campuses around Illinois, but still they are ultimately controlled by Champaign. Schools like UAB (they successfully fought Tuscaloosa) and UN Omaha have been hurt by their parent campuses in recent years.

NKU was contacted during the process and was unwilling to make the financial commitments necessary to be a Valley school.

[IllinoisState]

Like if Belmont leaves in 8 years is the MVC going to add Lipscomb just to stay in the Nashville market?

Of course not. We would add Trevecca Nazarene University.

[Greg]

I am pretty sure that the MVC would not invite UIC if Loyola stayed but Loyola will be gone soon -hopefully for MVC after accumulating a bunch of credits ($$$) in the tournament. Were people that excited about gaining Loyola after their two seasons before joining the MVC of 7-23 and 15-16?

[Blers42]

I am pretty sure that the MVC would not invite UIC if Loyola stayed but Loyola will be gone soon -hopefully for MVC after accumulating a bunch of credits ($$$) in the tournament. Were people that excited about gaining Loyola after their two seasons before joining the MVC of 7-23 and 15-16?

No, but Loyola was committed to investing in their program, is UIC ready to do the same? I have no idea.