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not sure why all the transfers, but I read an article a while back about how the AD is killing the program. I don't remember all the details, but she wouldn't let them spend any money and refused to let them take their once every four years overseas summer trip.she seemed intent on ruining the program or at least to cause the coach to fail.

That all sounds accurate. Now look where it's gotten her. I hope she's pleased with these results. By the looks of it she'd be the only one. It's a real shame too. Milwaukee under good leadership would be a no-brainer for the MVC. Same with UIC for that matter.

VUGrad1314 wrote:Doesn't Murray State unlike Belmont have a tournament win during that span? How many appearances has each team made since they both were together in the OVC?

Over that time Belmont has 0 wins and Murray State has 2 wins.

Since Belmont joined the OVC Belmont has 3 appearances and Murray State has 2 appearances with 0 and 1 wins respectively.

That seems to suggest Murray State>Belmont. Why then does it seem like the MVC is pining after the lesser program that doesn't want us instead of embracing the better program that does?

If Belmont was interested, MVC would’ve triple added Valpo/Murray/Belmont last year.

MVC Commissioner described Murray as an “MVC school” in an interview. He did not give that description to Milwaukee or Omaha.

The problem is the schools the MVC Commissioner would describe as an “MVC School” don’t want in (Saint Louis, Belmont).

This means no one else has enough votes to join with Murray. Can’t be an “MVC School” if you don’t have the votes behind closed doors.

I hope Murray State keeps owning Belmont until they're left with no choice but to join the MVC alongside the Racers. Man that triple addition would've been so sweet.

Belmont wants to go to the Southern Conference with its many private schools. Belmont is deeply involved with the Nashville music industry where it’s graduates get jobs. The Carolinas have more potential students and are generally wealthier and more likely country or Christian music fans. Samford is in it too and they need a travel partner. Belmont wants to be a true replacement for Davidson and take over their SoCon legacy. They already moved their men’s soccer from the Horizon to the SoCon.

The MVC is waiting on the moves that the WAC will make shortly. There is an article how UTRGV will unveil its football feasibility study soon.

VUGrad1314 wrote:I don't know about you guys but playing second fiddle to Murray State and missing the NIT isn't exactly my definition of living large and if I was going to do that I'd want to do so in a higher profile league. Even if they truly were living large and you know actually winning their conference Why live large in a low major league when you can live at-large in the MVC?

OK, sure, that happened this year. But in the five years before this season (their first five in the OVC) they made the dance twice and the NIT three times, and they won five regular season championships. That would not have happened if they were in the MVC. They're a big fish in a small pond. That is kind of the point. That is OK with them. The Murray folks see a bigger long-term picture for their athletic department and the Belmont folks have different priorities.

I agree that a Belmont/Murray/Valpo tri-add would have been pretty sweet. But unlike Murray, Belmont's success has been tied pretty strongly to one coach. I worry that they wont be able to sustain it after he retires. They have shown that having a competitive basketball team is not a huge priority for them already.

VUGrad1314 wrote:That seems to suggest Murray State>Belmont. Why then does it seem like the MVC is pining after the lesser program that doesn't want us instead of embracing the better program that does?

Being in Nashville I would say Belmont's ceiling is higher so that could be why, but they are nowhere near their ceiling and wont be any time soon. That's not to say I wouldn't like to have them added.

Belmont carries a lot of risk. Once Byrd retires in 5 years, what’s stopping Belmont and Lipscomb from trading places?

What are the odds the arrow isn’t pointing down for Belmont the minute Byrd hangs it up?