The University of Northern Iowa will play host to the Colorado State University Rams on Nov. 14, 2015, in the McLeod Center. The only previous meeting between the two schools also came in the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge on Dec. 3, 2011. The Panthers posted an 83-77 victory over the Rams in the McLeod Center in that earlier encounter.
Annual matchups for teams in the Challenge Series will be based upon factors including the previous year’s achievements, records and RPI rankings, as well as projected rankings/strength of teams in the upcoming season, based on composite sources. Each season will be considered separately in terms of matchups, therefore, games from the previous year’s Challenge Series may not be returned.
Television rights for each Challenge Series contest will be controlled by the home team’s conference television agreement, which will dictate the distribution of the game and all related matters, including tip times.
“The reintroduction of this Challenge Series is a positive step for both leagues,” says MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin. “Tough non-conference scheduling has always been paramount in improving our league’s stature on the national scene. The series helps institutions in both leagues achieve that goal. It’s great for the fans of the Missouri Valley and the Mountain West as new rivalries are developed with nationally-recognized programs that have a strong commitment to men’s basketball.”
The Mountain West has ranked among the Top 10 in the NCAA’s final RPI report in nine of the last 10 years, while the Valley has been among the Top 10 eight times during that same span. The leagues have combined for nine Sweet 16 and one Final Four (Wichita State) appearances over the last decade.
The previous Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge Series ran from the 2009-10 through the 2012-13 seasons. During that four-year span, six MVC teams competed in the NCAA Tournament, and the league combined for eight NCAA Tourney wins, which included two Sweet 16 appearances and WSU’s run to the 2013 Final Four. The MW has a 22-13 edge in the 35 previous games, but that did include a lopsided 8-1 record in games against the MVC in 2010. UNI and Wichita State have enjoyed the best individual team success among MVC members, with each compiling a 3-1 record during the first four-year series.
In 2014-15, the MVC had five teams in post-season play, which included two in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the past four seasons. UNI (1-1) and Wichita State (2-1) each won a second-round game while the Shockers advanced to the Sweet 16.
In the 2015 Challenge Series, games will be played across November and December. In future seasons, Challenge Series contests will primarily be played during a nine-day window beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving.
