Air Force Academy

April 13, 2010

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Mountain West Conference and Missouri Valley Conference have announced next season’s pairings for the MWC/MVC Challenge Series in men’s basketball. Air Force will face Evansville at Clune Arena on Sunday, Dec. 5.

All nine games will take place the week of Dec. 1-5, 2010. The agreement between the Mountain West and Missouri Valley conferences is in its second year of a four-year term. Nine Challenge Series games will be played each year, and each conference will host a total of 18 games in the four-year period.

Last year, the MVC won the series, 5-4, but notably all four MWC winning teams reached the NCAA Tournament. The leagues combined for four NCAA Tournament victories, which included first-round wins by BYU and New Mexico, and a Sweet 16 appearance by UNI. The leagues combined for a total of 11 postseason berths and 10-postseason wins.

The two leagues alternate between having five home games in one year and four in the second year (the MWC had four home games in 2009 and will have five in 2010). In the third and fourth years of the Challenge Series, the MWC will have four home games one season and five in the other. 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 also receive one road and one home game.

The Mountain West has ranked among the Top 10 in the NCAA’s final RPI report in 10 of the last 11 years, while the Valley has been among the Top 9 in each of the last six. Teams from the two leagues have squared off 47 times since the inception of the Mountain West in 1999, with MWC teams holding a 24-23 edge in those contests.

The Missouri Valley finished No. 7 in the 2010 Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report, while the Mountain West ranked No. 8. The leagues combined to place nine teams in the Top 100 of the RPI, including six in the Top 50. Three institutions (UNI-13; New Mexico-16; and BYU-22) finished in the 2009-10 final USA Today/ESPN Top-25 coaches poll. Those three were among just 10 teams nationally to win 30 games last season.

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.

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.

2010 CHALLENGE DATES                                         Series Records

Dec. 1            BYU at Creighton                                      BYU leads, 5-3; last meeting 12/7/2002

Dec. 1            Drake at Colorado State                          CSU leads, 5-4; last meeting 12/4/2004

Dec. 1            New Mexico at Southern Illinois          First meeting

Dec. 1            UNLV at Illinois State                              UNLV leads, 2-1; last meeting 1/13/1978

Dec. 4            Indiana State at Wyoming                     Wyoming leads, 2-1; last 12/30/2003

Dec. 4            UNI at TCU                                                 First meeting

Dec. 4            Utah at Bradley                                          Utah leads, 3-2; last meeting 12/4/1992

Dec. 4            Wichita State at San Diego State           WSU leads, 5-0; last 12/4/1976

Dec. 5            Evansville at Air Force                            UE leads, 1-0; only meeting 12/29/1977

FUTURE CHALLENGE DATES

2011 -- Nov. 30 - Dec. 4

2012 -- Nov. 28 - Dec. 2

2009 CHALLENGE RESULTS (MVC won, 5-4)

Nov. 13         BYU 70, Bradley 60

Nov. 20         Indiana State 65, Colorado State 60

Nov. 21         UNLV 78, Southern Illinois 69

Dec. 5            Missouri State 58, Air Force 48

Dec. 12          Wichita State 80, TCU 68

Dec. 19          New Mexico 66, Creighton 61

Dec. 19          Illinois State 73, Utah 63

Dec. 22          San Diego State 76, Drake 73

Dec. 23          UNI 72, Wyoming 54

-- xx --