Top MVC Rivalry Games

by **Chuck A** » July 23rd, 2024, 6:42 pm

UIC is going into its 3rd year of competition in the Valley and has yet to have a top rival (when you're bad, you tend to not have a rival).

What are some of the top MVC rivalry games. If a team has more than one heated rival, you can list that game as well.

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by **Birdfan2018** » July 23rd, 2024, 7:10 pm

Illinois State and PU

by **ReZyNeZy** » July 23rd, 2024, 7:40 pm

Chuck A wrote:UIC is going into its 3rd year of competition in the Valley and has yet to have a top rival (when you're bad, you tend to not have a rival).

What are some of the top MVC rivalry games. If a team has more than one heated rival, you can list that game as well.

I feel as if Valpo would be the defacto rival considering the history in the HL and the proximity of the two schools, but I concur. When you are bad, you tend to not have a rivalry. The only other game I think that carries a semblance of tension for Valpo is Ill State for the pure fact of Ill state not being able to beat VU in recent years

by **MissouriValleyUnite** » July 23rd, 2024, 8:08 pm

Bradley/Illinois St
Drake/Northern Iowa
Southern Illinois/Murray St
Murray St/Evansville
Murray St/Belmont

Others depend on both teams being good, IMO. But the above 5 are self-sustainable rivalries that transcend time and draw crowds regardless of either team's performance.

by **BigMacAttack** » July 23rd, 2024, 10:01 pm

MissouriValleyUnite wrote:Bradley/Illinois St
Drake/Northern Iowa
Southern Illinois/Murray St
Murray St/Evansville
Murray St/Belmont

Others depend on both teams being good, IMO. But the above 5 are self-sustainable rivalries that transcend time and draw crowds regardless of either team's performance.

Murray St vs Evansville is a good rivalry but there are only 39 games in the series. Indiana State vs Evansville has 182 games between the teams. No love between these 2 teams.

by **BUFanatic** » July 24th, 2024, 12:03 am

BU/ISU draws even if they are both mediocre. Drake/BU becoming a rivalry which kind of always was because they're the two oldest teams in the conference. The old IL teams are considered rivalries to me.

Defunct BU rivalries...
Tulsa and LUC. I think Cincy was considered a rivalry for a while.

Very weird but as good as Creighton and Wichita were I wouldn't really consider the series a rivalry.

by **jsaluki080** » July 24th, 2024, 1:30 am

BUFanatic wrote:BU/ISU draws even if they are both mediocre. Drake/BU becoming a rivalry which kind of always was because they're the two oldest teams in the conference. The old IL teams are considered rivalries to me.

Defunct BU rivalries...
Tulsa and LUC. I think Cincy was considered a rivalry for a while.

Very weird but as good as Creighton and Wichita were I wouldn't really consider the series a rivalry.

Wichy was mostly middle of the pack when Creighton was in the league. It was mainly CU, SIU, and UNI at the top. Tusla before that.

but yeah, I remember the games between SIU & Creighton were huge. The buildup, anticipation, and game day atmosphere in Carbondale was amazing.

by **Adunk33** » July 29th, 2024, 3:26 pm

The War on 74 is the classic but rivalries seem to ebb and flow based on who is good. ILST-BU never seem to be competitive at the same time. When one is up, the other is down.

Personal top rivalry in recent memory has to be ILST-Wichita. Those were heated games for a few years back in like 2013-17. Wichita, unfortunately came out on top more times than not but it was an old school rivalry. Fans didn't like each other, players didn't like each other, and it was all fueled by the to head coaches, Muller and Marshall absolutely despising each other. There's even rumors of a dust up in the tunnels of Redbird Arena.

We all we able to confirm the last few years what we knew then. Marshall was, is, and will never not be a prick.

by **Mikovio** » July 30th, 2024, 8:46 am

BUFanatic wrote:BU/ISU draws even if they are both mediocre. Drake/BU becoming a rivalry which kind of always was because they're the two oldest teams in the conference. The old IL teams are considered rivalries to me.

Defunct BU rivalries...
Tulsa and LUC. I think Cincy was considered a rivalry for a while.

Very weird but as good as Creighton and Wichita were I wouldn't really consider the series a rivalry.

Bradley and Cincy were both top 5 and a top national rivalry in the late 50s/early 60s. Oscar Robertson was 0-3 in Peoria.

Bradley/Wichita was big in the 80s. Both programs spend a few seasons in the top 25.