Will B12 additions free UCONN to join Big East?

[billyjack]

A basketball-centric AAC after UC, ECU, UCF, and USF leave:

UMass
UConn
Temple
VCU (non-football)
Memphis
Tulane
Houston
SMU
Tulsa
Wichita State (non-football)
Army (football only)
Navy (football only)

That would be a pretty good basketball conference

The more I think about it, the American almost nailed their conference name. They should have been the Americain Athletic Conference. They almost had it.

They're a waystation. A stopping off point. A safe haven for refugees and other people looking to move on to better places, but who are at the moment trapped and can't leave. It's basically Rick's Cafe Americain, and just like "Everybody goes to Rick's," no fewer than 16 different schools have come to the Original Big East/American before leaving for a better life in other lands.

Mike Aresco is Humphrey Bogart's Rick. UConn is Ingrid Bergman's Ilsa. And as we know, Bogey loves Ilsa. They had some magical times together. But it couldn't last. Forces beyond their control intervened. Now of all the gin joints in all the world, UConn finds itself in Mike Aresco's bar. Which sounds great, but Ilsa doesn't love Rick anymore. She loves Victor Laszlo (The ACC or the Big Ten. Whoever calls first). She pretends to still be in love with Rick, but that's only because Rick has the letters of transit (FBS football); her ticket out of this dump. She doesn't really love Rick, she's just using him to get the letters of transit so she can get to the airport, get on a plane, and get out.

Now, despite everything, Rick may still have feelings for Ilsa. Hell, Ilsa might even still have feelings for Rick ("We'll always have six overtimes..."), but both Rick and Ilsa know that at the end of the day, when push comes to shove, she is not going to let go of the letters of transit no matter what, and she is getting on that damn plane with Victor Laszlo, because it's her only real choice, and while she can kiss Rick and reminisce about the old times, she's doing what she has to to survive. If she stays with Rick, she'll regret it; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of her life. Here's looking at U....Conn.

lol that was great... I did a spit take on my keyboard... thanks...

[Xudash]

("We'll always have six overtimes...")

Too funny. Well done.

[SJHooper]

For whoever just compared SHU, PC, and DePaul to Tulsa, I have a few questions. When's the last time Tulsa had a top 10 recruit class (SHU has one now)? When's the last time Tulsa was ranked (SHU was just ranked a few years ago and nearly every other Big East team within the past 5 years)? When's the last time Tulsa won a legit conference (PC just won the Big East)?

SHU and PC are clearly above Tulsa. I can't even remember hearing the name "Tulsa" spoken in the college hoops world or hearing about any major recruits going there. Maybe it's because I'm only 25, since I hear they used to be pretty good back in the day. DePaul can be compared to Tulsa, but not SHU or PC at this point.

[R to the OB]

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Hooper.
BIG EAST is so much better than C-USA in terms of quality competition. Put SHU, SJU, and PC in C-USA during Tulsa's time there and they likely win every year.

[gogopuff]

For whoever just compared SHU, PC, and DePaul to Tulsa, I have a few questions. When's the last time Tulsa had a top 10 recruit class (SHU has one now)? When's the last time Tulsa was ranked (SHU was just ranked a few years ago and nearly every other Big East team within the past 5 years)? When's the last time Tulsa won a legit conference (PC just won the Big East)?

SHU and PC are clearly above Tulsa. I can't even remember hearing the name "Tulsa" spoken in the college hoops world or hearing about any major recruits going there. Maybe it's because I'm only 25, since I hear they used to be pretty good back in the day. DePaul can be compared to Tulsa, but not SHU or PC at this point.

Avg KenPom Rating last 7 years:
Seton Hall 83.1
Providence 83.9
Tulsa 92.9
St. Johns 98.4
DePaul 175.0

[Bill Marsh]

I dont see a scenario where anyone currently in the "club" gets booted. So IMO BC and Wake are safe.
Losing the 4 mentioned to the B12 (except for cincy) would actually strengthen AAC BB, so UConn need not worry about that. They can stay at 10 for BB and make Army an offer they cant refuse to get a FB only #12.

Uconn can contiunue to pump cash into FB. When/if ND finally joins the ACC full time in FB, where will the ACC look for #16? Cincy, UCF,USF and ECU ARE gone to the B12.(although they wouldnt want more florida or No Car schools anyway)
What are their options?

Only 2 contenders that I can see
UConn and Temple. IMO UConn would have the edge

Other schools that may be "discusssed" or brought up just arent as attractive for various reasons

Not only would it be unlikely that schools would get booted, it would be illegal unless a conference folds.

I agree that the AAC would get stronger in basketball with the loss of the 4 schools in question. Losing ECU would be addition by subtraction. UMass, which has a very strong basketball program right now, would be the first addition, replacing Cincy very nicely. They could then add a couple of the best basketball programs from CUSA and/or the MAC while adding Army football to complement Navy. They would also have the opportunity to add non-football programs like VCU to strengthen basketball.

I would kind of think ODU would be a natural add. And maybe even UTSA(not much for hoops, but man football looks like they would be a goldmine).

You would have-
UConn, Temple, Memphis, Houston, SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, Navy FB only, UMass, ODU, VCU BB only, UTSA, and 1 other. For FB- you have UConn, Temple, Navy, ODU, Memphis, and UMass. Out west- Houston, SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, UTSA, and 1 other. Would be tempted to say New Mexico. A BB conference with UConn, Temple, VCU, Memphis, UMass, SMU, and New Mexico? Wow, that's deep. Your bottom rung in hoops would be ODU, Houston, Tulsa, Tulane, and UTSA(and not all of those are bad at all, especially with the greater exposure). Football would be meh, but basketball would be really good.

Interesting . . .

A conference that spans Albuquerque to Hartford, but Gonzaga is a bridge too far for the Big East?

[cm5yz6]

Not only would it be unlikely that schools would get booted, it would be illegal unless a conference folds.

I agree that the AAC would get stronger in basketball with the loss of the 4 schools in question. Losing ECU would be addition by subtraction. UMass, which has a very strong basketball program right now, would be the first addition, replacing Cincy very nicely. They could then add a couple of the best basketball programs from CUSA and/or the MAC while adding Army football to complement Navy. They would also have the opportunity to add non-football programs like VCU to strengthen basketball.

I would kind of think ODU would be a natural add. And maybe even UTSA(not much for hoops, but man football looks like they would be a goldmine).

You would have-
UConn, Temple, Memphis, Houston, SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, Navy FB only, UMass, ODU, VCU BB only, UTSA, and 1 other. For FB- you have UConn, Temple, Navy, ODU, Memphis, and UMass. Out west- Houston, SMU, Tulsa, Tulane, UTSA, and 1 other. Would be tempted to say New Mexico. A BB conference with UConn, Temple, VCU, Memphis, UMass, SMU, and New Mexico? Wow, that's deep. Your bottom rung in hoops would be ODU, Houston, Tulsa, Tulane, and UTSA(and not all of those are bad at all, especially with the greater exposure). Football would be meh, but basketball would be really good.

Interesting . . .

A conference that spans Albuquerque to Hartford, but Gonzaga is a bridge too far for the Big East?

Without football in the conference? yes, too far

[R to the OB]

Seriously, can we put the Gonzaga to Big East talks to bed? If we wanted them they would already be in the conference.

[stever20]

1 big difference is that there would be relatively speaking close travel partners. So go to Albuquerque and then San Antonio. Also, with a 12 team conference, would only be going to 9 of those places, so that can help out as well. Lastly, it's only a 2 time-zone difference at most- instead of 3.

And totally agree- if we wanted Gonzaga- they would already be in the conference.

[Bill Marsh]

1 big difference is that there would be relatively speaking close travel partners. So go to Albuquerque and then San Antonio. Also, with a 12 team conference, would only be going to 9 of those places, so that can help out as well. Lastly, it's only a 2 time-zone difference at most- instead of 3.

And totally agree- if we wanted Gonzaga- they would already be in the conference.

Uh . . . If Gonzaga were added, how many teams do you think would be in the conference? The same 12 you just raved about.

Close travel partners don't make the trips any shorter for UConn and Temple. Your "close travel partners" are each about 600 miles away. I'm sure we can arrange closer travel partners to be added with Gonzaga. Start with BYU, another upgrade for the conference.

There's no getting around the fact that what you're proposing spans 1900 miles. Gonzaga wouldn't extend the Big East much more than that.