Possible Missouri Valley Conference Expansion

[VUGrad1314]

New Mexico State Sam Houston State and Tarleton State being looked at by CUSA. This would blow a massive hole in the WAC and possibly allow for a Murray State affiliation somewhere to resolve the football hurdle assuming football is indeed the holdup.

https://twitter.com/petethamel/status/1451685076769587202?s=21

[VU2014]

Not something we'd want to see.

https://twitter.com/mattbrownep/status/1452761371565776899?s=21

[tjjvalpo]

What would be the attraction of CUSA for Missouri State over MVC? CUSA is a very unstable conference with huge turnover.

[vusupporter]

What would be the attraction of CUSA for Missouri State over MVC? CUSA is a very unstable conference with huge turnover.

FBS football.

[bb33]

They do have a desire to go FBS.   Football would be elevated but basketball downgraded; but maybe they think they can dominate and dance more often.

[VUGrad1314]

This sucks... What's stopping Illinois State and UNI from doing the same? And then Belmont and Loyola will be looking around for a better home too probably... Yeah we'd still be in a better version of the HL based on who we could theoretically add but just losing Missouri State is a huge blow Losing even more would be absolutely horrible. We're in the middle of a great era and on the precipice of doing great things and the conference might be about to be ripped apart from within... I hate this... Yeah we still should have made the move and maybe we'll be fine but I hate this. I wanted this league to keep growing together and adding teams not losing them and having to hope the new additions will be as good. Just losing Missouri State is a heavy blow to everything that makes the Valley special. Baseball volleyball and men's and women's basketball wouldn't be as good.

[wh]

They do have a desire to go FBS.   Football would be elevated but basketball downgraded; but maybe they think they can dominate and dance more often.

Of course they think that. That's the Valley mindset. Get to the NCAA tournament once every 10 years on average and claim you would get there most every year if you played in any conference ranked lower than the Valley. There are never any bad teams in the Valley, just good and very good. Parity is always defined as multiple evenly matched good teams. Other Mids have multiple, evenly matched mediocre teams. That's Valley-speak.

[VUGrad1314]

They do have a desire to go FBS.   Football would be elevated but basketball downgraded; but maybe they think they can dominate and dance more often.

Of course they think that. That's the Valley mindset. Get to the NCAA tournament once every 10 years on average and claim you would get there most every year if you played in any conference ranked lower than the Valley. There are never any bad teams in the Valley, just good and very good. Parity is always defined as multiple evenly matched good teams. Other Mids have multiple, evenly matched mediocre teams. That's Valley-speak.

But is it wrong? I've seen years where the 9th best MVC school is better in the metrics than the 2nd or 3rd best HL or OVC school.

[Just Sayin]

This sucks... What's stopping Illinois State and UNI from doing the same? And then Belmont and Loyola will be looking around for a better home too probably... Yeah we'd still be in a better version of the HL based on who we could theoretically add but just losing Missouri State is a huge blow Losing even more would be absolutely horrible. We're in the middle of a great era and on the precipice of doing great things and the conference might be about to be ripped apart from within... I hate this... Yeah we still should have made the move and maybe we'll be fine but I hate this. I wanted this league to keep growing together and adding teams not losing them and having to hope the new additions will be as good. Just losing Missouri State is a heavy blow to everything that makes the Valley special. Baseball volleyball and men's and women's basketball wouldn't be as good.

Nothing. Stop worrying. It will be what it will be.

[wh]

They do have a desire to go FBS.   Football would be elevated but basketball downgraded; but maybe they think they can dominate and dance more often.

Of course they think that. That's the Valley mindset. Get to the NCAA tournament once every 10 years on average and claim you would get there most every year if you played in any conference ranked lower than the Valley. There are never any bad teams in the Valley, just good and very good. Parity is always defined as multiple evenly matched good teams. Other Mids have multiple, evenly matched mediocre teams. That's Valley-speak.

But is it wrong? I've seen years where the 9th best MVC school is better in the metrics than the 2nd or 3rd best HL or OVC school.

It's completely illogical. The ability to recruit best-available players becomes increasingly more difficult the lower the conference ranking. For instance, do you think Mosley and Prim would be playing for Missouri State if they were in the Summit or Horizon Leagues? Almost assuredly not. Thus, comparing yourself favorably against teams based on players you wouldn't have if you were in their shoes is intellectually dishonest.

[valpo95]

Very nice and detailed article (from Springfield, Mo.) about the situation at Missouri State, the implications for football and basketball. It has great things to say about MVC basketball, both men's and women's.

https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2021/10/26/conference-usa-missouri-state-football-basketball-possibility-realignment-from-mvc/8545166002/

[bb33]

Convention Square, Lower Long Street, Cape Town  8000 [/url][/size][/font]

do you think Mosley and Prim would be playing for Missouri State if they were in the Summit or Horizon Leagues?

.



But they are exploring CUSA not Horizon or Summit.  Very different.  And the driving motivation is a move to FBS football, not basketball. 

[wh]

Convention Square, Lower Long Street, Cape Town  8000 [/url][/size][/font]

do you think Mosley and Prim would be playing for Missouri State if they were in the Summit or Horizon Leagues?

.



But they are exploring CUSA not Horizon or Summit.  Very different.  And the driving motivation is a move to FBS football, not basketball. 

If Missouri State is truly considering a move to CUSA, their President should already have resigned from the MVC member search committee.

[bb33]

Can't disagree with this, except he did help bring on Belmont so he IS doing a good job on the expansion committee.   And until the move is official, he isn't giving up that power.

[VUGrad1314]

He didn't shut the door outright but the Missouri State AD threw some massive cold water on those FBS rumors. Good. Now let's go pedal to the metal on the Murray State addition and keep looking for ways to make this league a league nobody wants to leave!

https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/msu/2021/10/28/conference-usa-missouri-state-basketball-football-possibility-realignment-mvc-moats/6184006001/

[VUGrad1314]

Some very interesting stuff RE: the CAA which appears to be imminently losing James Madison to the Sun Belt. They have apparently been vetting Fairfield Monmoth Greensboro Hampton Howard and North Carolina Central. Them taking one (or more) Big South members could be good news for a potential Murray State affiliation if football really is the only thing holding up their MVC invite. Hampton and Monmouth play in the Big South which currently has 9 members but will be losing Kennesaw State and North Alabama next year as the Atlantic Sun starts its football league. Of course if NC Central isn't picked and Hampton leaves for the CAA they are a very logical choice to be a direct replacement for the Pirates in the Big South but still there is room for affiliate members in the conference.

Article about Monmouth Fairfield Greensboro interest

https://richmond.com/sports/college/james-madison/caa-exploring-expansion-two-division-setup-that-would-reduce-travel-costs/article_4ee9823d-9db6-54eb-a34f-d152ab6de602.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share%E2%80%A6

Article about Howard Hampton NC Central Interest:

https://richmond.com/sports/college/james-madison/caa-expansion-exploration-includes-hampton-howard/article_ff341278-5fa7-50de-b935-0bbdc3c9bddc.html?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_RTDNEWS

Also possible speculation though less well sourced (not backed up by an article but from a verified Twitter account that College of Charleston and Elon might be considering a return to the SoCon.

https://twitter.com/CoachTO22/status/1453086855570903048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1453086855570903048%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcsnbbs.com%2Fthread-932930-page-6.html

[ISUBird]

This sucks... What's stopping Illinois State and UNI from doing the same? And then Belmont and Loyola will be looking around for a better home too probably... Yeah we'd still be in a better version of the HL based on who we could theoretically add but just losing Missouri State is a huge blow Losing even more would be absolutely horrible. We're in the middle of a great era and on the precipice of doing great things and the conference might be about to be ripped apart from within... I hate this... Yeah we still should have made the move and maybe we'll be fine but I hate this. I wanted this league to keep growing together and adding teams not losing them and having to hope the new additions will be as good. Just losing Missouri State is a heavy blow to everything that makes the Valley special. Baseball volleyball and men's and women's basketball wouldn't be as good.

UNI doesn't have the money and ISU isn't going to ruin their basketball program to go to the worst FBS conference with no rivals and spend all that extra money.  This is also probably true for UNI.

[valpotx]

It would make no sense for an MVC team to move to a severely reduced CUSA.  You have to feel bad for the WAC, as they've held together for so long, and seemed to have a plan that was going to get them back to FBS eventually.  Now, CUSA has become the new WAC, and the WAC will become the WAC of 8 years ago, when they had to get UMKC and Chicago State...

[oklahomamick]

Will be interesting to see if the Texas WAC schools move over to CUSA or stay put in the WAC. 

[VUGrad1314]

In my best Professor Hubert Farnsworth from Futurama voice: Good news everyone!

Matt Brown who has been really on it this realignment cycle (had the Belmont news before pretty much everyone for instance) has said that the WAC is expected to vote on adding McNeese State and University of the Incarnate Word both Southland members on Tuesday. That would leave the Southland very desperate for immediate membership. Murray State football affiliation and MVC invite incoming? (He hasn't said anything about Murray State partnering with the Southland that is my own speculation but it WOULD make sense if Murray State is willing to make the commitment).

https://csnbbs.com/thread-919257-page-21.html

He also says that upwards of four schools could leave the WAC soon. I wonder who they will be. I'm guessing New Mexico State (CUSA though I really don't think that move is worthwhile or necessary just for a football conference home) Seattle U (WCC) Cal Baptist (WCC or Big West) are three of them but I don't know who the fourth might be... Abeline Christian (to CUSA)? I guess it could be Tarleton State or Sam Houston State as well (This better not mean Missouri State is leaving the Valley by the way). Adding Murray State while losing Missouri State really lessens the potential impact of adding Murray State because you're replacing one solid program for another albeit better one in men's basketball at least which is the sport that matters.  Honestly though we could really use the Murray State news as a distraction from our exhibition loss (especially if we lose again to the even better D2 team we have coming in in a few days). Get everyone excited about Murray State's inclusion so that maybe they forget for a little bit how bad we are.

[RacerJoeD]

Hey VUGrad1314, If all this shakes out and my Racers end up in the Valley, first Valpo conference road game in Murray, Im buying you a beer. Or a bourbon. Hell, maybe both.

[VUGrad1314]

Hey VUGrad1314, If all this shakes out and my Racers end up in the Valley, first Valpo conference road game in Murray, Im buying you a beer. Or a bourbon. Hell, maybe both.

Hey VUGrad1314, If all this shakes out and my Racers end up in the Valley, first Valpo conference road game in Murray, Im buying you a beer. Or a bourbon. Hell, maybe both.

I might just have to take you up on that one day. Of course, you are also welcome to come on up to Valpo if you can make it and if you do, then it would be my pleasure to welcome you! We just started serving beer at games so I can return your offer as well! (we don't have bourbon though and you wouldn't want Indiana bourbon even if we did because everybody knows Kentucky has the best and really the only bourbon that matters.) It would be cool to meet people I have interacted with on these boards in person. Is Murray a nice place to visit in wintertime? [size=78%] [/size]

[VUGrad1314]

Now this.... Could be significant...

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1455339497248460804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1455339497248460804%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcsnbbs.com%2Fthread-934092-page-2.html

Jacksonville State leaving the A-Sun opens up a geographically sensible pairing for the conference of Murray State FB only and Southern Indiana from D2 for Olympic sports and could clear the way for Murray to the MVC. If nothing else it gives Murray State another option if they absolutely want out of the OVC which increases their leverage not that they would use it in this way. I still think the preference is for the MVC so I think the FB only A-Sun partnership with MVC Olympic sports for the Racers is the most likely outcome (at least I hope so)

[RacerJoeD]

Is Murray nice in wintertime?


It rarely snows, so when it does there is panic in the streets amd the stores are out of bread. When it does snow it's usually about 6" or less but you wouldn't know it from the panic. Most times the temperatures are in the 40s. Sometimes we get ice storms.


But the food is good, most people are nice, and if you slide off the road there is bound to be someone with either a tractor or a 4x4 who will pull you out.


In all honesty, the only time to avoid Murray is in the Summer (even then it's pretty, just hot). The rest of the year is pretty spectacular. If you're the outdoorsy type, look into Land Between The Lakes. This time of year is my favorite though. The tobacco barns are smoking, there is a chill in the air, the leaves are falling, and there is basketball. Doesn't get any better.

[VUGrad1314]

McNeese State and the University of the Incarnate Word are headed to the WAC to replace New Mexico State and Sam Houston State. Some speculation that the WAC could be losing more members. The Southland could be in real trouble unless they have a good number of D2 callups lined up. Like I have said if football is the holdup for Murray State to the MVC we should have a resolution soon because there will be spots opening up. I can't understand what other holdup there could be beyond petty BS that shouldn't be part of the decisionmaking process so I'm assuming it is indeed football related until I hear concrete proof otherwise.