What's Up In The Missouri Valley 5/29/2020

Mid-Major mailbag: Sleeper conferences, the rise of Mark Pope and more--The Athletic

Given increased budget scrutiny, do you see mid-major conferences turning to challenges (like the Big 10-ACC) to get home games without needing to buy them? What conferences would you like to see match up in this format? — Matthew A.

This was already happening before the pandemic. Mid-major schools are getting squeezed out of scheduling because many power leagues are going to 20-game conference schedules, in addition to their own conference challenges and exempt tournaments. I think you’ll see more mid-major leagues follow suit and increase their number of conference games, as well as hold some of these challenges to get good nonconference matchups.

The MAAC and Atlantic Sun had a crossover event in November. The Mountain West and Atlantic 10 are beginning a challenge series next season. That includes games such as San Diego State at Saint Louis, UNLV at VCU and Dayton at Nevada. I’d also like to see the WCC get involved in one of these, and the Mountain West makes sense geographically. Why not have the MAC and Missouri Valley go head to head, or C-USA and the Sun Belt? Ivy vs. Patriot in the smart guy showdown? The possibilities are endless, and I think it’s a great idea.

Bradley men’s basketball to play at Missouri on Nov. 29--Peoria Journal Star

Bradley basketball players allowed back for campus workouts June 8--Peoria Journal Star

Friday Feature - Hays Fort's Experience Builds On Bulldogs' Program--godrakebulldogs.com

7 non-conference college basketball games we’re looking forward to in 2020-21--Mid-Major Madness

Loyola at DePaul

Dec. 13, Chicago, Ill.

Once upon a time, this was a real rivalry game. Back when DePaul regularly made the NCAA Tournament, the Red Line Rivalry pitted these Chicago basketball teams together on a near-annual basis. Finally, after going dormant for eight years, the series is back.

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So much has changed since these teams last played in 2012. Although both Loyola and DePaul were in the early goings of two sub-.500 seasons last time they met, each team has taken different trajectories since. Oliver Purnell is out at DePaul, and Dave Leito is in. Loyola head coach Porter Moser is still there, but the Ramblers finally rose above .500 and broke out onto the national scene with a Final Four run in 2018. The Blue Demons, meanwhile, made a run to the 2019 CBI Championship before losing to South Florida. At home.

Next season, Loyola could be even better than the Final Four team. DePaul might not have many options outside of Charlie Moore and Monmouth transfer Ray Salnave. However, in the off chance Valparaiso transfer Javon Freeman-Liberty earns a waiver from the NCAA, having a former Missouri Valley player square off against the team he helped beat in the 2020 MVC Tournament only sweetens the deal.