Convention realignment continues to rock the inspiration of faculty sports activities, dissolving geographical ties and separating colleges into extra distinct courses of wealth. Whereas soccer is on the root of realignment, the fallout will definitely be felt on the courtroom. Take Oregon, for instance. As a substitute of a convention slate that includes close by Oregon State and different groups within the Pacific time zone, the Geese will likely be required to make a number of cross-country journeys per season as soon as they’re members of the Massive Ten for the 2024-25 season.
A reinvigorated rivalry between longtime Pac-12 foes Arizona and UCLA is one other doubtless casualty with the Wildcats off to the the Massive 12 and the Bruins becoming a member of the Massive Ten in 2024-25.
After all, it isn’t all unhealthy. There are some intriguing new matchups that will likely be created, a lot of which our Cameron Salerno examined in a latest article.
For this week’s version of the Dribble Handoff, our writers are taking part in the position of Faculty Sports activities Commissioner and placing basketball first. “If you happen to might select one realignment transfer for the sake of faculty basketball, what would it not be?” Listed below are our responses to that immediate.
Maryland to the ACC
Sufficient is sufficient. Maryland doesn’t resemble a Massive Ten faculty, has by no means resembled a Massive Ten faculty and doesn’t belong within the Massive Ten. That league can afford to lose one program and nonetheless muddle by means of in some way. Ship the Terrapins again to the place they belong — within the convention they helped type and construct on the Atlantic coast. Maryland is an ACC faculty. It belongs within the ACC. Its return would carry stability to that league, up its hoops status all of the extra, and permit the soccer program a greater likelihood at success. Convention realignment has led to a variety of idiotic dispersement of colleges in leagues the place they do not belong (Boston Faculty, Syracuse, UCLA, USC, the listing goes on) and Maryland is close to the highest of that listing. Get these reptiles again of their pure habitat. — Matt Norlander
UConn to the ACC
I do know, I do know, for Huskies followers, leaving the Massive East after lastly reestablishing your identification as a nationwide powerhouse is not all that interesting. UConn and the Massive East are synonymous, and there’s no counter argument to the idea that staying within the league is finest UConn’s long-term viability. I imply, the staff gained a nationwide title behind a real teaching star mere months in the past. I hear you and I respect that. It is legitimate. Howevah, a soar over to ACC nation is likely to be a internet constructive each for the varsity and for the faculty hoops panorama writ massive. There’s extra publicity available taking part in the Dukes and North Carolinas of the world than taking part in the Villanovas and Xaviers. There’s considerably more cash available, too. That is all to say nothing of the worth in consolidating much more blueblooded energy into one convention. Geographically it would not even be a complete stretch, both, with all the opposite groups within the ACC working on the identical time zone. It will take a while to get used to and there isn’t any assure it might go nicely, however on paper it’d make a ton of sense for the 2 to marry up. — Kyle Boone
Memphis to the ACC
To be clear, I do NOT imagine the ACC ought to add Memphis now. Financially, it might doubtless make little sense. However finally, I feel, some mixture of North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State and Clemson are going to depart the ACC, at which level Memphis must be an apparent possibility as a substitute.
I hope it occurs.
It is comprehensible, however nonetheless unlucky, {that a} faculty that cares as deeply about basketball as Memphis has been caught in so-so conferences for a lot of my grownup life. Going ahead, the Tigers will compete in a diminished American Athletic Convention, the place they’re going to have few friends (presumably zero) that may match their stage of dedication to the game. It isn’t perfect. As you doubtless know, Memphis has lengthy sought a Massive 12 invitation, however that league has persistently handed Memphis over. So with the Massive 12 now not a practical possibility, the Tigers’ finest hope of bettering their neighborhood is likely to be for some large manufacturers to exit the Atlantic Coast Convention (like a number of have indicated they wish to do), leaving the ACC in quest of replacements. If that occurs, Memphis would make sense for a lot of causes, and it is value noting that the Tigers did beforehand share a league with present ACC members Florida State, Georgia Tech and Louisville.
(Shouts to the Metro Convention.)
I get why when the Massive 12 appeared towards the AAC to switch Texas and Oklahoma, it most well-liked top-40 markets like those Houston, Cincinnati and UCF can present. However one factor convention directors have largely failed to know over time when evaluating growth candidates is that the College of Memphis issues WAY extra in Memphis than the College of Houston issues in Houston, far more in Memphis than the College Cincinnati issues in Cincinnati, and far more in Memphis than UCF issues in Orlando. In reality, I am unsure there’s one other market within the nation with an NFL, NBA or MLB franchise that cares as a lot in regards to the native college’s athletic division as Memphians care in regards to the College of Memphis’ athletic division even with the NBA’s Grizzlies additionally on the town.
Merely put, Memphis has a soccer program that completed No. 17 within the Related Press High 25 ballot simply 4 years in the past with a 12-2 document and convention championship, a males’s basketball program that is made three Remaining Fours in three totally different a long time with three totally different coaches, and sufficient assist in and across the metropolis to flourish in a serious convention if it ever really will get the chance to be in a single. It was presupposed to occur with the Massive East — but it surely did not. Some thought it might occur with the Massive 12, however that now appears lifeless. On this second, there aren’t any clearly nice choices. But when the ACC ever will get picked aside and finds itself in want of latest members, Memphis is the place it ought to look. — Gary Parrish
Gonzaga to the Mountain West
Mark Few is an absurd 333-34 in convention motion over his 24-year teaching run, and the Zags have by no means misplaced greater than three league video games in a season underneath his watch. In a six-year interval from 2017 to 2022, Gonzaga misplaced simply 4 complete convention contests. However what do the Zags achieve from obliterating the WCC yearly? Positive, profitable is enjoyable. However the Zags would nonetheless win at a excessive clip within the Mountain West and in addition get challenged in a approach that will higher put together them for the NCAA Match. The MWC has been a multi-bid league prior to now 5 NCAA Tournaments, and the league had 4 representatives the previous two years. The WCC remains to be susceptible to being a one-bid league when St. Mary’s is just not in peak type. With BYU off to the Massive 12, the WCC is barely getting weaker. Including Gonzaga would elevate the Mountain West’s nationwide profile, and it might profit the Zags by conserving them on their toes all through January and February. — David Cobb
Gonzaga to the Massive 12
The Zags becoming a member of the Massive 12 is a match made in heaven. Gonzaga has been one of the vital constant packages on the West Coast and their addition would make the Massive 12 even stronger. Look, the Massive 12 was already actually, actually good after which the convention added BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF final realignment cycle. Brett Yormark subsequent took the “4 Nook” colleges from the Pac-12 (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah) to solidify the Massive 12’s standing because the premier school basketball convention within the nation. Including Gonzaga would make that argument even stronger. Gonzaga has gained 23 or extra video games each season since 1997-98. One of many solely packages to problem Gonzaga within the WCC (BYU) is off to the Massive 12. So why cannot the Zags’ be part of them? To make it a fair quantity, I might pitch to try to add UConn to the Massive 12 as a basketball-only faculty, too. However for the sake of this train, let’s keep on with Gonzaga. The Zags might compete with each staff within the convention. Positive, they would not dominate the Massive 12 like they’ve the WCC, however each convention recreation can be must-watch. Give it some thought: Gonzaga-Kansas, Gonzaga-Baylor, Gonzaga-Arizona and Gonzaga-Kansas State. These would all be higher matchups than any faculty Gonzaga will face within the WCC. — Cameron Salerno