***2026-27 Mens College Basketball Thread***

[cyclones500]

glad UNI finally knows their place and is traveling to these places now. The door is open if they want to come to Hilton

I can’t remember the "status" of ISU being open to UNI/Drake at Hilton maybe on rotating basis? I know doing any home/away is pretty much off the board (and no argument from me). If those programs would agree to that or want to pursue, would all parties be OK with it?

I wouldn't mind that, depending on what other game might be dropped, but does it fit the current general scheduling philosophy?

 

[1UNI2ISU]

glad UNI finally knows their place and is traveling to these places now. The door is open if they want to come to Hilton

If Iowa State would offer the same money Kansas did, I'm sure they'd listen...

Iowa and Iowa State both throw out low ball offers and then go 'see, we tried'. It's fine. I don't miss those games but lets be real about the reason they aren't happening.

 

[FinalFourCy]

If Iowa State would offer the same money Kansas did, I'm sure they'd listen...

Iowa and Iowa State both throw out low ball offers and then go 'see, we tried'. It's fine. I don't miss those games but lets be real about the reason they aren't happening.

The same reason why KU is paying you to go to AFH, rather than play you in DSM

 

[CyCrazy]

ISU should play both UNI and Drake every year, the games should ALWAYS be in Hilton. Its not 1993, we aren't playing road games at low to mid majors anymore. They need to realize that.

If they don't realize that then it's a they issue. But I am all for playing them.

 

[Letterkenny]

If Iowa State would offer the same money Kansas did, I'm sure they'd listen...

Iowa and Iowa State both throw out low ball offers and then go 'see, we tried'. It's fine. I don't miss those games but lets be real about the reason they aren't happening.

True.

But UNI also claims "Iowa and Iowa State refuse to play us". No they don't, they just wont pay you as much as you want for the game. Same thing with Miami-OH coach complaining that no one will play them them past season. Lower your asking price and anyone will play you.

 

[cyclones500]

True.

But UNI also claims "Iowa and Iowa State refuse to play us". No they don't, they just wont pay you as much as you want for the game. Same thing with Miami-OH coach complaining that no one will play them them past season. Lower your asking price and anyone will play you.

Going beyond the intrastate aspect of it, that frames a question/makes me curious as far as mid-majors // "semi-high-mids."

How would a place like Miami-OH, or programs in leagues like A-10, American and new-MWC get interest to schedule-up with a P4/5, without low-balling its own budget?

Power-schools also have the detail of how much its "worthwhile" from SOS standpoint + being able to stay as cheap for payout as possible.

I suppose this was the case even before the current new era of CBB. It somehow seems a lot wider of a gap now.

Anyone have insight/k-knowledge?

 

[EnkAMania]

True.

But UNI also claims "Iowa and Iowa State refuse to play us". No they don't, they just wont pay you as much as you want for the game. Same thing with Miami-OH coach complaining that no one will play them them past season. Lower your asking price and anyone will play you.

Ben McCollum in one of his first interviews as Iowa's coach, said he wouldn't play Drake because it has no benefit for us.

 

[HouClone]

In the minority but would hope we would play UNI and Drake and keep the revenue in state. Don't like our attitude that we are above them by insisting they have to play at Hilton. We wouldn't like it in football if a high end SEC or Big 10 team demands that of us of only playing at their home.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

In the minority but would hope we would play UNI and Drake and keep the revenue in state. Don't like our attitude that we are above them by insisting they have to play at Hilton. We wouldn't like it in football if a high end SEC or Big 10 team demands that of us of only playing at their home.

You don’t play on the road for a G5 team when you are the quality ISU is. If they don’t want to play at Hilton they can pound sand, your paying for their AD to exist with these buy games in many cases

 

[GoHawks]

If Iowa State would offer the same money Kansas did, I'm sure they'd listen...

Iowa and Iowa State both throw out low ball offers and then go 'see, we tried'. It's fine. I don't miss those games but lets be real about the reason they aren't happening.

I haven't kept up, how do you view Drake and UNI'S offseason/portal haul?

 

[NWICY]

In the minority but would hope we would play UNI and Drake and keep the revenue in state. Don't like our attitude that we are above them by insisting they have to play at Hilton. We wouldn't like it in football if a high end SEC or Big 10 team demands that of us of only playing at their home.

I'll respectfully disagree with you on this. Have them play in Hilton it holds more people and will be a pretty popular ticket. UNI more than Drake IMO. Drake and UNI both add a instate premium when ISU comes to town even in WBB. Talked to a concessionaire at UNI a couple of yrs ago they loved ISU coming to play easily their biggest draw of the yr for them. I don't mind WBB travelling but for MBB I'm really in favor of giving them only dates in Hilton.

 

[Letterkenny]

Ben McCollum in one of his first interviews as Iowa's coach, said he wouldn't play Drake because it has no benefit for us.

Well that's dumb and doesn't make any sense.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

I haven't kept up, how do you view Drake and UNI'S offseason/portal haul?

I think KG did as well as he could of considering circumstances. Lots of guys that were real good at lower levels and his budget doesn't really kick in until next year. Not sure there's a ton of offense outside of Uelman and McCubbin but we know the defense will show up.

Hendo appears to be all in on development. He's focused on good HS kids, it works if he can keep them but that's a big ask.

I think they're both middle of the pack teams behind UIC, Murray and Illinois State.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

In today's edition of College Sports is trying to take away every bit of joy it can...

There is a proposal that is going to be voted on this week to change the format of Arch Madness to this asinine thing:

Thursday:
4 v 9
5 v 8
3 v 10
6 v 7

Friday:
4/9 v 5/8
3/10 v 6/7

Saturday:
1 v 4/9/5/8
2 v 3/10/6/7

Sunday:
Championship

You have a beloved, traditional, well viewed and attended conference tournament and you want to screw with it. Just asinine.

 

[GoHawks]

In today's edition of College Sports is trying to take away every bit of joy it can...

There is a proposal that is going to be voted on this week to change the format of Arch Madness to this asinine thing:

Thursday:
4 v 9
5 v 8
3 v 10
6 v 7

Friday:
4/9 v 5/8
3/10 v 6/7

Saturday:
1 v 4/9/5/8
2 v 3/10/6/7

Sunday:
Championship

You have a beloved, traditional, well viewed and attended conference tournament and you want to screw with it. Just asinine.

This would make sense for some of the bottom tier 1 bid leagues but I don't think it's necessary for the Valley.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

This would make sense for some of the bottom tier 1 bid leagues but I don't think it's necessary for the Valley.

The Valley is going to be a 14 seed after expansion regardless of whether it sends the league champion of the team that finishes 5th. There just isn't enough separation to justify this.

The Top 6 or 7 are always going to be clumped between 75 and 150 in the NET. Just how the league works because everybody is working with approximately the same budget.

 

[GoHawks]

The Valley is going to be a 14 seed after expansion regardless of whether it sends the league champion of the team that finishes 5th. There just isn't enough separation to justify this.

The Top 6 or 7 are always going to be clumped between 75 and 150 in the NET. Just how the league works because everybody is working with approximately the same budget.

I think a good valley team such as Drake in 25 could get up as high as 8/9 seed but agree with big part. It'd take something very unlikely to be one of the last teams AQ's

 

[GoHawks]

The Valley is going to be a 14 seed after expansion regardless of whether it sends the league champion of the team that finishes 5th. There just isn't enough separation to justify this.

The Top 6 or 7 are always going to be clumped between 75 and 150 in the NET. Just how the league works because everybody is working with approximately the same budget.

Even though you said expansion that part went over my head. I haven't studied much on how brackets will be constructed now. Is a 14 seed a game vs other AQ's then a game vs 3 seed?

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Even though you said expansion that part went over my head. I haven't studied much on how brackets will be constructed now. Is a 14 seed a game vs other AQ's then a game vs 3 seed?

14 would go right into the bracket and play a 3.

Just another way to squeeze the MM+ level and make sure they don't get any extra units. They know that low majors and traditional mids are never going to be a threat so they can 'afford' the play in units. They don't want to give that extra to the Valley, CUSA, WCC, A10 and new MW.

 

[cyclones500]

In today's edition of College Sports is trying to take away every bit of joy it can...

There is a proposal that is going to be voted on this week to change the format of Arch Madness to this asinine thing:

Thursday:
4 v 9
5 v 8
3 v 10
6 v 7

Friday:
4/9 v 5/8
3/10 v 6/7

Saturday:
1 v 4/9/5/8
2 v 3/10/6/7

Sunday:
Championship

You have a beloved, traditional, well viewed and attended conference tournament and you want to screw with it. Just asinine.

I suppose the intent is to "protect" 1 & 2 as much as possible, but I don't know if it's that much better at doing so than the traditional format, and hard to know if it'll matter if MVC does have seasons when there's legit at-large contention.

It could be worse, though, for the "sprawl" factor. It could be Sun Belt!