Article: A10 should look at adding Wichita St

by **ihsi** » February 26th, 2014, 8:30 am

I expect we'll see more of this soon. Elgin better have a plan to keep the Shockers.

http://mobile.gazettenet.com/home/10858 ... hita-state

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by **uniftw** » February 26th, 2014, 8:39 am

ihsi wrote:I expect we'll see more of this soon. Elgin better have a plan to keep the Shockers.

http://mobile.gazettenet.com/home/10858 ... hita-state

There isn't a plan...other than hoping that the fact WSU is a geographic outlier, and public institution, is enough to keep the A10 or Big East away.

That's about all the MVC has for Drake, WSU, Bradley, and Evansville.

The only thing that keeps the football schools for splitting is the fact that for the last decade, and as long as it stays together as it sits right now, the MVC is a higher rated BB conference and BB is more important to the FB schools. That could easily change, very quickly, if the conference RPI standing starts to drop to levels of other conferences.

by **MissouriValleyUnite** » February 26th, 2014, 9:03 am

I disagree with the author's premise that acquiring Wichita effectively entices Saint Louis to stay. It's all about money and association (ego). The Billikens are Big East-bound if they receive an invite, regardless of who the A-10 adds.

by **ihsi** » February 26th, 2014, 9:05 am

MissouriValleyUnite wrote:I disagree with the author's premise that acquiring Wichita effectively entices Saint Louis to stay. It's all about money and association (ego). The Billikens are Big East-bound if they receive an invite, regardless of who the A-10 adds.

I agree that SLU would leave if invited. I think the concern for WSU making such a move is that the best schools - SLU, VCU, Dayton, Richmond - all want out.

by **Dean Wormer** » February 26th, 2014, 9:08 am

Cute article, but it's apparent he is just a fan of UMass that has very little knowledge of anything west of Dayton. Claiming Indiana State is the best choice to come along with WSU based strictly on THIS YEAR RPI tells me all I need to know about the depth of this guy. I am not knocking ISU in any way, but to claim a school that fits the overall profile of the A-10 (Private, large market) probably about the least of any MVC school is showing he just glanced at the current RPI.

Serious question for WSU fans, would going to the A-10 really be very attractive? SLU and either Dayton/Richmond appear as good as gone to the Big East. My guess is it's Richmond. That would be the best case for WSU, but it really just leaves Dayton as anything even remotely close, both geographically and fan interest to WSU. I don't know the attendance at VCU, but they have certainly been solid as well, just not geographically attractive. There are a lot of schools in that league that struggle to get 1500 to a game. Davidson was viewed as a solid move, but I beleive their RPI is lower than anyone in the Valley this year. That is a small school that very well could spend a long time in the abyss.

The writer is correct that the A-10 and MVC were very close a few years ago. Yes, that was when we had Creighton, but they had Xavier, which hands down was the most successful program for several years in that conference. I am not trying to be a Valley homer, and understand that WSU could be successful in a bigger conference, but I just don't see any positive to going to the A-10, especially without SLU.

by **MissouriValleyUnite** » February 26th, 2014, 9:16 am

Yeah, I chuckled at the "being packaged with [Valparaiso]" notion. Nice community and solid academics, but their facilities are horribad. That school is indebted to the Drew family because their coaching is the whole security blanket from that program falling into the abyss. In a hypothetical MVC expansion, they would rank 9th-10th on my list (granted the top-3 -- SLU, UD, NMSU -- are unrealistic). I'll confidently assume the A-10 offices also laughed at that notion.

by **TheAsianSensation** » February 26th, 2014, 9:54 am

It seems like while Big East expansion is inevitable, it seems like no more than 2 A-10 teams would get poached. Let's just say the teams are St Louis and Richmond to simplify things. Let's also take away UMass because of FBS football.

Dayton
VCU
George Mason
George Washington
Davidson
LaSalle
Duquesne
Fordham
Rhode Island
St Joseph's
St Bonaventure
Wichita St

Not a terrible spot, and a conference which would expect 2 bids (or more) every year. Wichita is a significant outlier, though, and would need at least 2 MVC teams of their choice to make the jump with them.

by **ihsi** » February 26th, 2014, 10:16 am

That's not a very good league and seeing it written makes me think no way would Sexton pursue it. There would need to be a huge TV contract to offset the costs to a school like WSU getting all their sports to the east coast.

by **BCPanther** » February 26th, 2014, 10:19 am

Every one of these discussions make it more and more clear that UNI and Illinois State need to look at the MAC. Once Wichita bolts (which, IMO, will happen after another year or two to the AAC) this league is a trainwreck.

Pretty easy to see a scenario where after Wichita goes that UE, Indiana State, and SIU jump to a revamped OVC where they could continue to play FCS football. Bradley and Drake find a home in a new A10 that adds some midwestern members that is basically two conferences that happen to have the same name. Missouri State bolts for either the SunBelt or CUSA.

That leaves Loyola (who cares), UNI and Illinois State scrambling. UNI and Illinois State need to get ahead of the curve...

by **havoc** » February 26th, 2014, 10:41 am

BCPanther wrote:Every one of these discussions make it more and more clear that UNI and Illinois State need to look at the MAC. Once Wichita bolts (which, IMO, will happen after another year or two to the AAC) this league is a trainwreck.

Pretty easy to see a scenario where after Wichita goes that UE, Indiana State, and SIU jump to a revamped OVC where they could continue to play FCS football. Bradley and Drake find a home in a new A10 that adds some midwestern members that is basically two conferences that happen to have the same name. Missouri State bolts for either the SunBelt or CUSA.

That leaves Loyola (who cares), UNI and Illinois State scrambling. UNI and Illinois State need to get ahead of the curve...

UE doesn't play football. I would find it much more likely they stay in the MVC with Bradley, Drake, and Loyola, and add some other midwestern private schools like Valpo, Belmont, Detroit, ORU, etc... or some basketball-centric schools from the Hozion or OVC.