NKU - Coming Soon to the Atlantic Sun

[X-band '01]

Cincinnati Enquirer Article (http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111207/NEWS0103/312070129/NKU-join-D-conference?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|)

The Enquirer is saying that NKU will accept an invite to the A-Sun conference tomorrow; it hasn't been officially confirmed by the conference yet. The Norse would begin Division I play next season and be eligible for participation in the conference tournament for basketball starting with the 2016-17 season.

Apparently they were turned down by the Ohio Valley conference last month; the Summit League was another rumored destination.

[GoMuskies]

A-Sun's better than the OVC, so that worked out well for them (other than the travel sucking). The A-Sun is a really good baseball league.

[Snipe]

Good for them.

[Porkopolis]

Good for them. I hope we play them every year. No reason not to replace one of our "easy" games with NKU and help out a local program.

[xubrew]

A-Sun's better than the OVC, so that worked out well for them (other than the travel sucking). The A-Sun is a really good baseball league.

The A-Sun consists of Belmont (who is leaving for the Ohio Valley) and a bunch of sub 200 teams. The OVC is way better, at least in basketball. ARe you sure you're not thinking of the Sun Belt??

I was really hoping they'd get into the OVC. The Summit and Horizon were the other leagues they were talking to, but the HL was a long shot.

North Alabama, who also wanted into the OVC, probably got in. That would give them twelve basketball teams, and an additional football team to replace Jacksonville State, who I believe is leaving for the Sun Belt.

[GoMuskies]

Outside of Murray State, the OVC is horrific, but I did not realize Belmont was coming on board.

[smileyy]

Good for them! Honestly, all of those conferences are going to be so volatile as to be hard to sustain success.

[GoMuskies]

The A-Sun consists of Belmont (who is leaving for the Ohio Valley) and a bunch of sub 200 teams. The OVC is way better, at least in basketball.

I would note that the Sagarin ratings have the A-Sun 14th to the OVC's 25th. #180 Eastern Illinois is the only sub-200 OVC team other than #16 Murray State.

You're right that Belmont to the OVC changes everything.

[ballyhoohoo]

I heard they turned down the big east

[Juice]

A-Sun's better than the OVC, so that worked out well for them (other than the travel sucking). The A-Sun is a really good baseball league.

NKU's baseball stadium/field is the only piece of their facilities that are sub-par. It is on par with a high school park. I would assume they would update that.

[xu_fan]

As an NKU alum this makes me very happy! Not sure of I want them to play Xavier every year. I'd be so conflicted lol

[MCXU]

Very happy to hear this. Congrats NKU students and alums, very big news.

NKU with there facilities and recruiting should excel in this new conference.

X should consider an annual home and home with them at the beginning of the year, could be a decent early game and RPI would be solid if they are able to win that conference every year.

[MCXU]

I think we should offer to play @ their place for their first ever D-1 basketball game. It would be a really cool atmosphere.

In exchange they can come to Cintas for the next 2 or 3 years!

[muskiefan82]

I think we should offer to play @ their place for their first ever D-1 basketball game. It would be a really cool atmosphere.

In exchange they can come to Cintas for the next 2 or 3 years!

That actually makes some sense. I like it.

[Porkopolis]

I think we should offer to play @ their place for their first ever D-1 basketball game. It would be a really cool atmosphere.

In exchange they can come to Cintas for the next 2 or 3 years!

I love that idea!

[xubrew]

I wouldn't mind playing NKU home and home. I know no one likes playing downtown, but I wouldn't mind if we played them at a "neutral" US Bank sight every now and then either similar to what Duquesne and Pitt do.

[coasterville95]

We haven't had to set foot in US Bank Arena since the New Year's Eve mascare agaist the K-State team Thuggins left in shambles to go to West Virginia. The one where I think they crammed 4,000 into US Bank Arena.

I haven't missed it.

Now, NKU has a VERY nice arena - about the same size as ours. What's wrong with playing home/home?

I think that would be an honor if we were invited to be their opening night game.

What could be cool though? Imagine a 4 way tourney at US Bank - X (A10), NKU (Atlantic Sun), UC (Big Least), Miami (OH) (MAC). Have it over a three night weekend, round robin style.

Or expand your horizons - we add Wright State (Horizon), UK (SEC), tOSU (Big Ten), WVU (Big 12) - 3 game exempted tourney, and it follows the only 1 team per conference thing. Otherise we could bring Dayton and Butler into it. OR sub in Butler for Wright State.

[Juice]

NKU will play a better non-conference schedule than UC.

[paulxu]

NKU will play a better non-conference schedule than UC.

That's not saying a whole lot about NKU's potential OOC schedule.

[THRILLHOUSE]

As an NKU alum this makes me very happy! Not sure of I want them to play Xavier every year. I'd be so conflicted lol

Same here. Even though I would have preferred the OVC, I am happy the move to D1 is finally happening.

[xubrew]

We haven't had to set foot in US Bank Arena since the New Year's Eve mascare agaist the K-State team Thuggins left in shambles to go to West Virginia. The one where I think they crammed 4,000 into US Bank Arena.

I haven't missed it.

Now, NKU has a VERY nice arena - about the same size as ours. What's wrong with playing home/home?

I think that would be an honor if we were invited to be their opening night game.

What could be cool though? Imagine a 4 way tourney at US Bank - X (A10), NKU (Atlantic Sun), UC (Big Least), Miami (OH) (MAC). Have it over a three night weekend, round robin style.

Or expand your horizons - we add Wright State (Horizon), UK (SEC), tOSU (Big Ten), WVU (Big 12) - 3 game exempted tourney, and it follows the only 1 team per conference thing. Otherise we could bring Dayton and Butler into it. OR sub in Butler for Wright State.

There's nothing wrong at all with playing it home and home. I'm okay with either option.

The only thing I was thinking is that it may mean one less buy game for Xavier, so if you play it at USBank every year, it could result in more ticket revenue than playing it home one year and away the other, that's all. Then again, maybe not.

I also like your idea of the tournament. Even if it's just XU, UC, NKU and Miami. I don't know how interested those other teams would be in joining, but I don't think it's too unrealistic to think the four Cincinnati based teams would object. It could be either a round robin, or back to back doubleheaders to open the season.

[Snipe]

I wouldn't mind playing Miami, Wright State, and NKU rotating 2 for 1s every year. Each year we would travel to one of their home courts and get the other two at home. We would visit each of them once every three years. It would allow their fans to be able to see a national program every once in awhile.

[Cheesehead]

I am sure YTG thinks that NKU would win the A-10.

[xu95]

There is absolutely no chance of us wasting one of our precious road games on NKU.

xu95