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The 2017 Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge matchups were released Monday morning, per CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
Here is the list of matchups, with (H) marked next to the home team.
2017 MWC/MVC Challenge Matchups
| Missouri Valley | 2016-17 Record | Mountain West | 2016-17 Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Valley | 2016-17 Record | Mountain West | 2016-17 Record |
| Southern Illinois (H) | 17-16 | San Jose State | 14-16 |
| Indiana State (H) | 11-20 | Air Force | 12-21 |
| Bradley | 13-20 | San Diego State (H) | 19-14 |
| Missouri State (H) | 17-16 | Colorado State | 24-12 |
| Northern Iowa (H) | 14-16 | UNLV | 11-21 |
| Illinois State | 28-7 | Nevada (H) | 28-7 |
| Drake | 7-24 | Wyoming (H) | 23-15 |
| Valparaiso (H) | 24-9 | Utah State | 15-17 |
| Evansville | 16-17 | New Mexico (H) | 17-14 |
| Loyola (IL) | 18-14 | Boise State (H) | 20-12 |
Fresno State, despite finishing last season with a 20-13 record and fourth in the Mountain West, will reportedly not participate in the event. The last place team in the Mountain West has typically been forced to miss the MWC/MVC Challenge.
Wichita State, which has notched seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, left the Missouri Valley earlier this year. Ex-Horizon League member Valparaiso takes its place. Valpo will host Utah State.
Illinois State and Nevada might be the most intriguing matchup at first glance. The RedBirds fell just short of picking up a tournament bid last season despite a very impressive season. Both ISU and Nevada finished last season with a 28-7 record.
San Diego State, which will look to rebound from a lackluster 2016-17 season, will hope to avenge last year’s MWC/MVC nightmare. The Aztecs fell to Loyola (IL) in a trap game back in early December.
Dates, tip times and TV arrangements are yet to be announced. Last season’s challenge ran from late November to early December.