Interesting development at Missouri State

[tornado]

Missouri State isn't picked to win the Valley or anything but they were hoping on some help from Xavier transfer Jared Ridder who sat out the entire year last year...

but since he transferred in Sept. of 2017 - they have yet to get the OK for Ridder to play this season - so there is concern..
https://www.news-leader.com/story/s...nsure-have-xavier-transfer-ridder/1781070002/

Alize Johnson says Ridder has talent to be an NBA Draft pick
https://www.news-leader.com/story/s...-jared-ridder-nba-bound-draft-pick/724491002/

 

[tornado]

Here's an interesting development at Valparaiso...a piece of good news!!

Valpo's move to the Missouri Valley is expected to eventually be bringing in bigger crowds and they are gonna have to build a bigger arena --
and being in the MVC has increased revenue so they have the $ to do so...
and now they are working on plans to do so...
https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/col...cle_8b66d396-7d78-5302-9728-c02a5a03ca33.html

 

[PTTB]

I guess I got the opposite feel from the article:

While the school will receive a financial boost because of money generated from Loyola??™s Final Four run over the next several years, it will likely take a much bigger contribution from a donor in order to provide the funds needed for widespread changes to the ARC.
??”??”??”
With over $1 million in facility upgrades already since joining the Valley, Valparaiso faces the uncertainty of not having a major donor that can step up and deliver a major gift similar to what Loyola of Chicago received when in February alumnus Al Norville donated much of the $18.5 million needed to build its next basketball practice facility.

???I would love to be able to find somebody who has the capacity to do that (for us), but we don't have that right now,??? LaBarbera said. ???To make those type of renovations, it can??™t be done $500 or $1,000 at a time. We need to find someone who has the passion and the capacity to do this.???

??”??”??”
???The question right now is what is appropriate for us,??? LaBarbera said. ???Do we need air conditioning in the arena? Are there needs to be more modern or do we need to change the look from something that was built in the 80s? What we know right now is that it??™s apparent that we are behind everybody (in the Valley). Has that pushed up our timetable? Clearly.???

I hope all programs continue to invest in their programs. We are all better with all the programs renovating their arenas and providing better facilities for their student-athletes and fans.