With widespread enthusiasm shown in response to mully's great idea, I would like to humbly submit the following schedule for the inaugural conference challenge. I'll give a little explanation of methodology. I listed each team's previous season RPI to determine the matchups. Each conference was sorted low to high in RPI and matched up against their counterpart. Mully as defending national champion and brains behind the challenge was awarded the first home game and the rest of the games alternate down the list. The top GLV team will be the first home team when we schedule again early next season (can anyone say, "national champion Lewis"?). The lone exception that ultimately moved everyone other than top-seeded Wisconsin, Parkside up one spot is rednu's Missouri, St. Louis team which already has its murder's row schedule made for next season and can't fit any of us from the WVIAC into it.

With respect to which game on the schedule, let's try to make them the 10th game of the non-conference schedule where possible. If that isn't available for next season, just choose the latest possible date. That will be our pattern in future seasons too.

Without further adieu, here are the matchups (season 80 RPI):

W. Virginia St. (1) Versus Wisconsin, Parkside (5) - scheduled
Charleston (3) At U. of Indianapolis (15) - scheduled
Ohio Valley (6) Versus Lewis (18) - scheduled
Concord (13) At Mercyhurst (44) - scheduled
Davis and Elkins (27) Versus N. Kentucky (47) - scheduled
Fairmont St. (32) At St. Joseph's (IN) (109) - scheduled
Bluefield St. (52) Versus S. Indiana (60) - scheduled
Shepherd (68) At Kentucky Wesleyan (107) - scheduled
Salem International (90) Versus Quincy (58) - scheduled
Glenville St. (131) At S. Illinois, Edwardsville (118) - scheduled
Alderson-Broaddus (157) Versus Bellarmine (119) - scheduled
W. Liberty St. (146) no game Missouri, St. Louis (9) - n/a

Great idea guys. I'm down with this schedule and will send invite

Here are the pairings for the GLV / WVIAC Challenge next season (season 81 RPI):

Shepherd (1) At Lewis (3) - scheduled
Concord (2) Versus U. of Indianapolis (9) - scheduled
Davis and Elkins (8) At Quincy (16) - scheduled
W. Virginia St. (19) Versus Missouri, St. Louis (20) - scheduled
Ohio Valley (27) At Bellarmine (32) - scheduled
Charleston (36) Versus Wisconsin, Parkside (43) - scheduled
Bluefield St. (37) At N. Kentucky (57) - scheduled
Fairmont St. (66) Versus S. Indiana (73) - scheduled
Salem International (67) At S. Illinois, Edwardsville (74) - scheduled
Glenville St. (115) Versus Mercyhurst (95)
Alderson-Broaddus (123) At Kentucky Wesleyan (106) - scheduled
W. Liberty St. (188) Versus St. Joseph's (IN) (127) - scheduled

Once again we will target non-conference game 10 for the challenge.

Season 82 Results

Wisconsin, Parkside 54 W. Virginia St. 74
An early 14-4 lead for WP was erased when they went cold from the floor and WVSU cleaned up the boards ending the first half on a 26-7 run. The Yellow Jackets saw their advantage slip to 3 just over 5 minutes into the second half but once again WP couldn't consistently make baskets to keep pace. The WVIAC takes an early 1-0 lead in the Season 82 challenge.

Fairmont St. 67 SJC 57
The WVIAC improved to 2-0 in the Season 82 challenge but not without a fight. A nearly 4 minute scoring drought for Fairmont St. in the first half allowed SJC to open up a 12 point lead. Nine points separated the two teams at the half. The Fairmont St. defense stiffened to open the second half. They gave up only 10 points to claw within 2 points and 10:27 to go in the game. SJC cheated down low defensively and ultimately paid a heavy price sending Fairmont St. to the line for 23 second half free throws and they converted 19 of these opportunities. Combined with 12 of 16 shooting from the floor, Fairmont St. won this game in impressive fashion doing all things well on both ends of the floor to close it out.

Concord 71 Mercyhurst 69
Concord closed the first half on a 16-6 run to open up a 13 point lead at the half. The stingy zone defense of Concord held Mercyhurst to just under 38% shooting and they committed only 6 fouls leading to 5 FTA. The fortunes of Mercyhurst reversed from the floor in the second half as they began to find holes in the zone and converted 61.5% of their shots. Tied with 3:44 to go in the game, Mercyhurst soon seized their first lead since midway through the first half. The two teams exchanged points over the next few minutes keeping it close but Concord took the last possession with 14 seconds to go and Odinan Ahmed hit the game winner as time expired from the left block. Going into the final night of non-conference, the WVIAC has a comfortable 3-0 lead on the GLV but this challenge is still up for grabs with 8 games tonight.

U of Indianapolis 60 Charleston 50
SIUE 55 Glenville St. 54
Ohio Valley 69 Lewis 56
Shepherd 73 KWC 57
Alderson-Broaddus 84 Bellarmine 73
Davis and Elkins 66 Northern Kentucky 50
SIU 77 Quincy 64
Bluefield St. 70 S. Indiana 60

The inaugural GLV / WVIAC Challenge goes to the WVIAC 9-2.

Great job everyone, way to bring it home!!

Here are the pairings for the GLV / WVIAC Challenge next season (season 82 RPI):

W. Virginia St. (6) Versus U. of Indianapolis (8) - scheduled
Davis and Elkins (10) At Bellarmine (9) - scheduled
Concord (28) Versus Missouri, St. Louis (23) - scheduled
Bluefield St. (32) At Quincy (26) - scheduled
Salem International (36) at Kentucky Wesleyan (130) - scheduled
Shepherd (41) At N. Kentucky (59) - scheduled
Alderson-Broaddus (49) Versus Lewis (107) - scheduled
Fairmont St. (54) At St. Joseph's (IN) (111) - scheduled
Ohio Valley (61) Versus Wisconsin Parkside (120) - scheduled
Charleston (72) At Mercyhurst (124) - scheduled
Glenville St. (169) Versus S. Indiana (44) - scheduled
W. Liberty St. (221) At S. Illinois, Edwardsville (191) - scheduled

Once again we will target non-conference game 10 for the challenge.

Season 83 Results

Shepherd 90 At Lewis 93
Concord 68 Versus U. of Indianapolis 76
Davis and Elkins 62 At Quincy 59
W. Virginia St. 91 Versus Missouri, St. Louis 79
Ohio Valley 65 At Bellarmine 56
Charleston 66 Versus Wisconsin, Parkside 60
Bluefield St. 48 At N. Kentucky 54
Fairmont St. 82 Versus S. Indiana 72
Salem International 70 At S. Illinois, Edwardsville 60
Glenville St. 61 Versus Mercyhurst 50
Alderson-Broaddus 50 At Kentucky Wesleyan 48
W. Liberty St. 66 Versus St. Joseph's (IN) 85

The WVIAC wins the challenge 7-5.

Season 85 Matchups (season 83 RPI):

Shepherd (2) At Lewis (1)
Charleston (19) Versus U. of Indianapolis (13)
W. Virginia St. (22) At Bellarmine (20)
Ohio Valley (30) Versus Missouri, St. Louis (28)
Davis and Elkins (42) At S. Indiana (36)
Concord (64) Versus N. Kentucky (53)
Fairmont St. (65) At Wisconsin Parkside (55)
Alderson-Broaddus (70) Versus St. Joseph's (IN) (73)
Bluefield St. (71) At S. Illinois, Edwardsville (78)
Salem International (72) Versus Quincy (91)
Glenville St. (158) At Kentucky Wesleyan (92)
W. Liberty St. (230) Versus Mercyhurst (123)

Please try to schedule these for the 10th game of the non-conference schedule.

Season 84 Results

W. Virginia St. 60 Versus U. of Indianapolis 64
Davis and Elkins 78 At Bellarmine 64
Concord 48 Versus Missouri, St. Louis 79
Bluefield St. 47 At Quincy 52
Salem International 96 at Kentucky Wesleyan 62
Shepherd 61 At N. Kentucky 62
Alderson-Broaddus 67 Versus Lewis 64
Fairmont St. 62 At St. Joseph's (IN) 55
Ohio Valley 69 Versus Wisconsin Parkside 64
Charleston 74 At Mercyhurst 48
Glenville St. 59 Versus S. Indiana 57
W. Liberty St. 47 At S. Illinois, Edwardsville 55

The WVIAC wins the challenge 7-5.

All-Time Challenge History

Season 82: WVIAC 9-2
Season 83: WVIAC 7-5
Season 84: WVIAC 7-5
Season 85: WVIAC 9-3
Season 86: WVIAC 7-4
Season 87: GLV 6-4

WVIAC leads the all-time challenge series 43-25.

We are getting closer!!!  You didn't have to put the all-time series record though :)

Season 86 Results (season 84 RPI)

W. Virginia St. 70 Versus Lewis 60
Charleston 50 At Quincy 59
Ohio Valley 64 Versus U. of Indianapolis 60
Bluefield St. 76 At Missouri, St. Louis 66
Shepherd 83 Versus Wisconsin Parkside 76
Salem International (31) At S. Indiana (55) DNP
Alderson-Broaddus 55 Versus St. Joseph's (IN) 56
Concord 79 At N. Kentucky 89
Fairmont St. 53 Versus Kentucky Wesleyan 52
Glenville St. 62 At Mercyhurst 78
Davis and Elkins 69 Versus S. Illinois, Edwardsville 63
W. Liberty St. 78 At Bellarmine 71

WVIAC wins the Season 86 Challenge 7-4.

Season 85 Results

Shepherd 75 At Lewis 90
Charleston 64 Versus U. of Indianapolis 52
W. Virginia St. 76 At Bellarmine 57
Ohio Valley 57 Versus Missouri, St. Louis 63
Davis and Elkins 82 At S. Indiana 68
Concord 68 Versus N. Kentucky 52
Fairmont St. 71 At Wisconsin Parkside 68
Alderson-Broaddus 54 Versus St. Joseph's (IN) 48
Bluefield St. 58 At S. Illinois, Edwardsville 55
Salem International 68 Versus Quincy 79
Glenville St. 65 At Kentucky Wesleyan 60
W. Liberty St. 64 Versus Mercyhurst 54

The WVIAC wins the challenge 9-3.

Season 87 Matchups (season 85 RPI)

Charleston 80 At Lewis 70
Ohio Valley 59 Versus Quincy 65
Shepherd 84 At Missouri, St. Louis 74
Bluefield St. 49 Versus U. of Indianapolis 58
Fairmont St. 70 At Wisconsin Parkside 67
W. Virginia St. 71 Versus S. Indiana 80
Davis and Elkins 50 At St. Joseph's (IN) 65
Concord 67 Versus N. Kentucky 78
Alderson-Broaddus (78) At Mercyhurst (113) - DNP
Salem International 89 Versus S. Illinois, Edwardsville 75
W. Liberty St. (135) At Bellarmine (144) - DNP
Glenville St. 79 Versus Kentucky Wesleyan 83

GLV wins the challenge 6-4.

Season 88 Matchups (season 86 RPI)

W. Virginia St. (2) Versus Missouri, St. Louis (19)
Bluefield St. (8) At Quincy (22)
Ohio Valley (9) Versus U. of Indianapolis (35)
Fairmont St. (12) At S. Illinois, Edwardsville (37)
Shepherd (29) Versus N. Kentucky (39)
Charleston (33) At S. Indiana (42)
Concord (38) Versus Wisconsin Parkside (46)
W. Liberty St. (61) At Lewis (59)
Davis and Elkins (76) Versus Mercyhurst (74)
Alderson-Broaddus (78) At Bellarmine (125)
Salem International (91) Versus St. Joseph's (IN) (136)
Glenville St. (130) At Kentucky Wesleyan (185)

Please try to schedule these for the 10th game of the non-conference schedule.