MVC Game #20

[isuquinndog]

Standings
As of 2/29/2024

SCHOOL	MVC	PCT.	HOME	AWAY	STREAK	ALL	PCT.	HOME	AWAY	NEUT	L10
Indiana State	16-3	.842	8-1	8-2	W3	25-5	.833	12-1	9-4	4-0	8-2
Drake	15-4	.789	9-0	6-4	W1	24-6	.800	15-0	6-5	3-1	8-2
Bradley	13-6	.684	8-2	5-4	W3	21-9	.700	13-3	6-5	2-1	6-4
Southern Illinois	11-8	.579	6-3	5-5	L1	19-11	.633	13-4	5-6	1-1	6-4
Belmont	11-8	.579	7-2	4-6	W2	18-12	.600	11-2	6-9	1-1	7-3
UNI	11-8	.579	7-3	4-5	W2	17-13	.567	11-3	5-8	1-2	5-5
Illinois State	9-10	.474	5-5	4-5	W1	15-15	.500	10-6	4-7	1-2	5-5
Murray State	9-10	.474	5-5	4-5	L1	12-18	.400	8-8	4-8	0-2	4-6
Missouri State	7-12	.368	4-5	3-7	L3	15-15	.500	8-5	4-10	3-0	4-6
Evansville	6-13	.316	5-5	1-8	L6	15-15	.500	10-5	4-10	1-0	4-6
UIC	4-15	.211	3-7	1-8	L2	11-19	.367	6-9	3-9	2-1	3-7
Valparaiso	2-17	.105	1-8	1-9	L11	6-24	.200	5-11	1-13	0-0	0-10

Games
*All games on ESPN+, other networks noted. All games CST.

Sunday, 3/3/2024
UIC (4-15) 59 @ Missouri State (7-12) 69 - 1 pm
UNI (11-8) 82 @ Southern Illinois (11-8) 70 - 1 pm
Illinois State (9-10) 72 @ Valparaiso (2-17) 75 - 1pm
Bradley (13-6) 66 @ Drake (15-4) 74 - 2:30 pm - ESPN2
Evansville (6-13) 66 @ Belmont (11-8) 83 - 4 pm
Murray State (9-10) 77 @ Indiana State (16-3) 89 - 4 pm - Bally Sports

 

[cpacmel]

Sunday, 3/3/2024
UIC (4-15) @ Missouri State (7-12) - 1 pm
UNI (11-8) @ Southern Illinois (11-8) - 1 pm
Illinois State (9-10) @ Valparaiso (2-17) - 1pm
Bradley (13-6) @ Drake (15-4) - 2:30 pm - ESPN2
Evansville (6-13) @ Belmont (11-8) - 4 pm
Murray State (9-10) @ Indiana State (16-3) - 4 pm - Bally Sports

I know they want to show the Trees winning the Championship, but the game that means the most is UNI @ SIU. That one should be on TV over Murray / Trees.

 

[Aggie]

Arch madness should be a weekend later. MVC needs game#21 and game#22.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

It would get zero national coverage.

 

[Metamoron]

But the loser or at large candidates wouldn’t have a week where a 16-14 high major could knock them out

 

[Aggie]

My two cents on the TV deal. In the future it is all going to be streaming. Look at how many games that never used to be on TV and ESPN+ has them all. MVC might as well play two more games which lets the top teams pump up the win total and get whatever champion game TV deal we can get. My guess, and that all it is, 25 wins versus 23 wins for a second place team looks better on paper. And, the above scenario where the “experts” don’t have a week to bad mouth the second place team. Or the favorite that lost in the championship game.

 

[DBird]

My two cents on the TV deal. In the future it is all going to be streaming. Look at how many games that never used to be on TV and ESPN+ has them all. MVC might as well play two more games which lets the top teams pump up the win total and get whatever champion game TV deal we can get. My guess, and that all it is, 25 wins versus 23 wins for a second place team looks better on paper. And, the above scenario where the “experts” don’t have a week to bad mouth the second place team. Or the favorite that lost in the championship game.

They will just be way way louder about it in that shorter period of time. They know they will have to make their point heard!!

 

[Dmills]

My two cents on the TV deal. In the future it is all going to be streaming. Look at how many games that never used to be on TV and ESPN+ has them all. MVC might as well play two more games which lets the top teams pump up the win total and get whatever champion game TV deal we can get. My guess, and that all it is, 25 wins versus 23 wins for a second place team looks better on paper. And, the above scenario where the “experts” don’t have a week to bad mouth the second place team. Or the favorite that lost in the championship game.

No one is getting more games if we expand the MVC schedule. Just less non-conference games.

New college basketball rules allow flexibility with non-conference scheduling

NCAA's Board of Directors passed new scheduling guidelines that allow more flexibility when it comes to schools scheduling non-conference opponents.

www.ncaa.com

"Men’s basketball teams can now play 28 games plus three in a non-conference tournament or 29 games plus two games in a non-conference tournament or just play 29 games."

 

[isuquinndog]

No one is getting more games if we expand the MVC schedule. Just less non-conference games.

New college basketball rules allow flexibility with non-conference scheduling

NCAA's Board of Directors passed new scheduling guidelines that allow more flexibility when it comes to schools scheduling non-conference opponents.

www.ncaa.com

"Men’s basketball teams can now play 28 games plus three in a non-conference tournament or 29 games plus two games in a non-conference tournament or just play 29 games."

"More flexibility" equals "less chances for the P5 to have to play any one else and get upset and look bad"

 

[DoubleDeuce]

I like having the additional week to get our representative(s) healthy before the tourney begins. Conference tourneys are a grind.

 

[Birdswin]

The Valley is usually somewhere the #8-#10 conference in ranking - however, the timing of our tournament acts like we are #20-#28 ranked conference. Is having the championship game - which has two tired teams and not always the best game - on national TV really that big of a deal? Plus, how often is the first part of the game not even seen, because of a P6 regular season game going long? There are more networks looking for live sports because of advertising. The Commissioner needs to be more willing to change.

Moving the Conference Tournament back a week - would also allow the regular conference season to be less condensed or to alleviate the need to play two conference games in December.

 

[dpdoughbird06]

The Valley is usually somewhere the #8-#10 conference in ranking - however, the timing of our tournament acts like we are #20-#28 ranked conference. Is having the championship game - which has two tired teams and not always the best game - on national TV really that big of a deal? Plus, how often is the first part of the game not even seen, because of a P6 regular season game going long? There are more networks looking for live sports because of advertising. The Commissioner needs to be more willing to change.

Moving the Conference Tournament back a week - would also allow the regular conference season to be less condensed or to alleviate the need to play two conference games in December.

Since the SEC moved on from hosting their tourney in STL, you’d think Enterprise Center should still be available with enough advance notice.

Even if we went Wednesday through Saturday (my kids would have no problem missing an extra day of school if I bring them) to get a midday or late afternoon championship time slot on a major network, that would still be preferable to waiting a week to fall out of favor as everyone else keeps playing.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

I like having the additional week to get our representative(s) healthy before the tourney begins. Conference tourneys are a grind.

Agree with this sentiment big time as respects to performing in the ncaa attorney. However the MVC, esp any MVC bubble team, takes a big hit to branding and their chance of an at large by going dead silent on the biggest week of college hoops outside of the ncaa tourney. Out of sight out of mind. Great to be fresh and ready for the ncaa tourney but gotta get there first.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

My two cents on the TV deal. In the future it is all going to be streaming. Look at how many games that never used to be on TV and ESPN+ has them all. MVC might as well play two more games which lets the top teams pump up the win total and get whatever champion game TV deal we can get. My guess, and that all it is, 25 wins versus 23 wins for a second place team looks better on paper. And, the above scenario where the “experts” don’t have a week to bad mouth the second place team. Or the favorite that lost in the championship game.

“Future”? Streaming seems to be the way now except for the major games. Agree play more games but playing less out of conference games could hurt the league too as the MVC is typically a one bid league. In order to get more teams in ncaa tourney gotta play outside the MVC and teams from higher conf rankings.

 

[Aggie]

“Future”? Streaming seems to be the way now except for the major games. Agree play more games but playing less out of conference games could hurt the league too as the MVC is typically a one bid league. In order to get more teams in ncaa tourney gotta play outside the MVC and teams from higher conf rankings.

But will the “higher ranked” conferences actually schedule the MVC???

 

[isuquinndog]

Final standings:

SCHOOL	MVC	PCT.	HOME	AWAY	STREAK	ALL	PCT.	HOME	AWAY	NEUT	L10
Indiana State	17-3	.850	9-1	8-2	W4	26-5	.839	13-1	9-4	4-0	8-2
Drake	16-4	.800	10-0	6-4	W2	25-6	.806	16-0	6-5	3-1	8-2
Bradley	13-7	.650	8-2	5-5	L1	21-10	.677	13-3	6-6	2-1	6-4
UNI	12-8	.600	7-3	5-5	W3	18-13	.581	11-3	6-8	1-2	6-4
Belmont	12-8	.579	7-2	4-6	W2	18-12	.600	11-2	6-9	1-1	7-3
Southern Illinois	11-9	.550	6-4	5-5	L2	19-12	.613	13-5	5-6	1-1	5-5
Illinois State	9-11	.450	5-5	4-6	L1	15-16	.484	10-6	4-8	1-2	5-5
Murray State	9-11	.450	5-5	4-6	L2	12-19	.387	8-8	4-9	0-2	4-6
Missouri State	8-12	.400	5-5	3-7	W1	16-15	.516	9-5	4-10	3-0	4-6
Evansville	6-14	.316	5-5	1-8	L6	15-15	.500	10-5	4-10	1-0	4-6
UIC	4-16	.200	3-7	1-9	L3	11-20	.355	6-9	3-10	2-1	3-7
Valparaiso	3-17	.150	2-8	1-9	W1	7-24	.226	6-11	1-13	0-0	1-9

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

But will the “higher ranked” conferences actually schedule the MVC???

A very valid obstacle. The highers will schedule but terms will not be ideal/favorable.