So this is what happens when I have a day off. My mind wonders to LU basketball. But I started thinking about the possibility of Witchita St. leaving the MVC and where would they go if they did. It was hard to find a Conference that would provide them with better challenges without adding football. There are a couple of ferences out west but everything is on the other side of the Rockies. THe Big 12?or the American Athletic which gives them TUlsa, SMU, Houston, old valley foe Cincinatti ...but this is a big football conference. Maybe Conference USA which has a western division that has North Texas, Texas San Antonio,Rice, and UTEP...but they all have football as well. So would they add football to move? I am sure with the Koch brothers they have the cash. Maybe the Summit League which has Denver,Oral Roberts, Nebraska, Omaha, South Dakota,THe SUmmit presently has an RPI higher than ours and has some MVC Football teams in it. But they also have 2 Indiana schools and Western Illinois. So I do not see a perfect fit without adding football or starting a new conference. So an option is to make the MVC more appealing by 1) getting better,,,,we have some traditional teams that have been much stronger in the past,,,Bradley for one. 2)add a team that would add competition and would be geographically closer to WS, meeting that criteria were recent deportee Creighton, Oral Roberts( who we have been in a conference with previously) Uof Nebraska-Omaha and Denver.. Except for Creighton these are all Summit League schools.
Thinking about this got me to thinking about if the wayward would return home. St. Louis, Depaul,Marquette and Creighton all traded in their solid Midwestern roots to try and grab some gold out east. None of them are presently in the top 100 RPIs and or competing for their Conference Championships and are long shots for the NCAA. You could make a case that there are 5 Midwest teams in the Big East conference however. I wonder if they are making any money or if the travel plus extra time is getting to them and they are thinking of returning? and if so join the MVC and or try and start a new Midwestern basketball conference and what would LU do? Seems like attendance will have to improve to make us attractive to any other conferences.Any way thankfully I have to work tomorrow.

Saint Louis or Dayton but it would never happen. I would also like Detroit. I would think Belmont, Murray State, or Oral Roberts (passed over once) would be likely options to replace WSU.

What about MO State or IL ST moving up to FBS? That could also happen.

I don't think WSU leaves in the next 3 years and only then, they'd need to make a serious commitment to bring back football. There's an outside chance the MWC takes them without it, but I think they would force WSU to add football to be a full time member. The AAC would definitely force WSU to a.) add football and b.) probably not add them until they were good enough to compete or at least not lose every conference game by 20+. C-USA too, but how much of a step up in college basketball that would be (if any) is not worth adding football. The A-10 is probably too far away to bring them on, especially if their fans are complaining about making a trip to the MVC tournament located in the same town as their only reasonably close conference foe. And the Big East, as currently constructed, is too snobby to want them and probably not looking to go to 12 teams. You do bring up an interesting point about the Big East/Midwest, Nate. But Fox Sports' contract with them is so huge that it'd be foolish for any of them to want to add a team to split the money with.

One other thing about the Big East is that it is all private schools. This was mentioned on the Seton Hall board. They wouldn't want to add WSU to the listing because its public and that could open them up for additional scrutiny on their books. They have more flexibility with them all being private.

And Wichita is actively researching the addition of football. President Bardo even tweeted out pictures of a football helmet and marching band uniforms yesterday that got social media buzzing. Football is definitely a potential option and the AAC is the desired conference. I've read a few boards here and there and I liked the talk of the AAC adding us for all sports but football during our transition. We play at the FCS level while we get things ironed out and work on our transition to FBS at which time they could offer full membership. I don't know how likely that is.

Another scenario I think we could consider, is joining CUSA in the short-term. It's a lateral move at best in basketball, but could pave the way to the AAC after so many years of developing our program. I think to do this, we'd have to have some sort of positive feedback from the AAC prior to going this route. I'd also accept the MWC, but it is a 2nd option behind the AAC if we get to be picky about this.

But without football, we'll be in the MVC.

_________________
The Roundhouse

Interesting blog by Sub. I get from it that the Valley is NOW the soon to be like a soon to be jilted partner. Maybe then we should pick up a new partner or three and not wait to be dropped. ---Maybe this is already in the works at Conference HQ. I say , let us NOT wait . If WSU does not want us , I for one do not want them.

History has shown that the Valley has survived worse.

Brot ...like your attitude!

I've said for years that the MVC should go to 12 to help in case of a departure but the heads in STL aren't visionary, but reactionary. It would be a hard sell to the current schools, but maybe the MVC would be best off focusing on private schools with potential, or schools with no football and no plans or thoughts of football. The MVC could go to 12 with say a Valpo, ORU and Belmont. All three solid basketball schools. Although ORU would be left on an island if Wichita and MSU ever left. MSU has talked about moving football up in the past. Maybe Little Rock is added instead of Belmont/Valpo. Or maybe if MSU or WSU leave Little Rock is brought in as a travel partner for ORU. I'm just throwing things out.

WSU is looking into football in hopes of an AAC invite.

UNI has said they want to protect basketball, but if they feel the MVC were to weaken, could look to see if the MAC were interested.

Illinois St. has talked about moving football up in the past.

Missouri State has as well.

I don't think ISUb has ever really considered it at any level.

But that's where the non privates are.

Although if some MVFC teams were to leave for some reason, maybe you don't have to go all privates and a Murray State fits in as they could then move football over. Maybe the Dakota schools finally get consideration from MVC members.

Or, nothing could happen. But I still think going to 12 would be wise just in case.

_________________
The Roundhouse

Well, three schools that might help make twelve--Valpo--Murray St and perhaps Detroit orOral Roberts. There are more out there