ST. LOUIS -- The Mountain West Conference and Missouri Valley Conference have announced the pairings for the third annual MWC/MVC Challenge Series and the Bradley men's basketball team will visit Wyoming Dec. 3, 2011.
Next season's meeting in the MWC/MVC Challenge Series will be just the second in the all-time series between Bradley and the Cowboys. The Braves earned a 77-63 victory versus Wyoming March 30, 1951 in the semifinals of the National Campus Tournament at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse.
The agreement between the Mountain West and Missouri Valley conferences is in its third year of a four-year term. In each of the previous two years, the Challenge featured head-to-head competition between nine Mountain West and nine Missouri Valley teams. Due to membership changes in the Mountain West Conference, the 2011 Challenge will consist of eight games, with each conference hosting four games. All eight contests will take place the week of Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2011. Illinois State and Southern Illinois will be the MVC teams that do not participate in the 2011 Challenge Series. However, future MWC member Fresno State will host Illinois State in a non-conference contest on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011. Fresno State becomes a member of the Mountain West in 2012-13.
Pairings are made in two-year cycles with no team having two-straight road or two-straight home games during that two-year period. In the 2011 and 2012 challenges, every team that participates will receive one road and one home game. As a road team in 2011, if Bradley is one of the eight participants in the 2012 MWC/MVC Challenge Series, the Braves will be guaranteed a home game to be played between Nov. 28-Dec. 2.
Last season, the leagues combined for four NCAA Tournament victories, which included first-round wins by BYU and New Mexico, and a Sweet 16 appearance by Northern Iowa. Overall, the two conferences earned a collective 11 postseason berths and 10 postseason wins. The Mountain West and Missouri Valley have combined to place nine teams in the Top 100 of this season's RPI, including five in the Top 50. Two institutions (San Diego State-4; BYU-9) are currently ranked in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Top-25 Coaches polls, while two others (UNLV, Missouri State) are receiving votes.
The Valley has been among the top nine in the NCAA's final RPI report in each of the last six seasons, while the Mountain West has ranked among the top 10 in 10 of the last 11 years. Teams from the two leagues have squared off 58 times since the inception of the Mountain West in 1999, with MWC teams holding a 33-25 edge in those contests.
About the Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference continues to lead by example as one of college athletics' most progressive conferences. The Valley emphasizes the importance of the student-athlete and is aggressive in its approach to provide opportunities for its member institutions. Founded in 1907, the Missouri Valley Conference (www.mvc-sports.com) is the nation's second-oldest NCAA Division I conference and continues to be a leader in college athletics. League members include Bradley University, Creighton University, Drake University, the University of Evansville, Illinois State University, Indiana State University, Missouri State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois University, and Wichita State University.
About the Mountain West Conference
Progressive in its mission, the Mountain West Conference (www.TheMWC.com) has been committed to excellence in intercollegiate athletics, while promoting the academic missions of its member institutions. Established in 1999, the Mountain West Conference is comprised of nine Division I institutions: The United States Air Force Academy, Brigham Young University, Colorado State University, the University of New Mexico, San Diego State University, TCU, UNLV, the University of Utah and the University of Wyoming.
2011 CHALLENGE PAIRINGS
Nov. 30 -- Creighton at San Diego State CU leads, 3-1; last meeting 1/3/1974
Dec. 3 -- Bradley at Wyoming BU leads, 1-0; only meeting 3/30/1951
Dec. 3 -- Air Force at Drake DU leads, 5-0; last meeting 12/12/1981
Dec. 3 -- Indiana State at Boise State First meeting
Dec. 3 -- Colorado State at UNI First meeting
Dec. 3 -- Missouri State at New Mexico UNM leads, 1-0; only meeting Dec. 22, 1962
Dec. 3 -- TCU at Evansville First meeting
Dec. 4 -- UNLV at Wichita State Series tied, 1-1; last meeting 1/10/1979
FUTURE CHALLENGE DATES
2012 -- Nov. 28 - Dec. 2
