UConn Still Shopping ?

[Andrew]

It is a shame Gonzaga is so far because they are a perfect fit. St. Mary's wouldn't be so bad either.

 

[L J S A]

It is a shame Gonzaga is so far because they are a perfect fit. St. Mary's wouldn't be so bad either.

I think they'd come as a package if we ever expanded that far.

I know many of us think 10 is perfect number, and have geography concerns but if you had Gonzaga, St. Mary's, Creighton, Marquette, DePaul, and Butler on one side, and moved Xavier to our side, that's a pretty awesome conference.

 

[bamafan]

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/aac-presidents-to-vote-this-week-on-adding-wichita-state-could-begin-play-in-fall/

AAC voting on Wichita, but I liked this part of the article:

Even Gonzaga AD Mike Roth addressed the interest in his school over the weekend the Final Four.

“If someday the Big East and their financial partners come together and say, ‘You know what we’ll call it the Big East but we’ll be in all four time zones and really get after that four-letter monster [ESPN] that lives in Bristol, Connecticut,” Roth said. “In that case, can other schools in the West join Gonzaga and split into two [divisions].”

The Big East has been in its current 10-team, private school configuration since the 2013-14 season. Like Gonzaga, none of the schools play major college football.

Roth said coach Mark Few has even made a point to him the Zags could fly anywhere to play conference games because it charters.

“I tell him, ‘Mark, it has nothing to do with us flying there. It’s them flying here,’” Roth said.

Gonzaga plays in the West Coast Conference.

“In January, February, we’re in San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles,” Few said. “It’s not horrible.”

Maybe the Zags could play all their BE games on the road and play all their non conf games at home. :huh:

 

[Las Vegan]

Some caveats with Gonzaga and St. Mary's:
St. Mary's plays in an old campus gym that holds about 3,500.
Incorporation into a conference should include all sports, not just basketball. Travel realities make this problematic. Also, how many fans will travel to NYC for post-season tourney?
Loss of Gonzaga and St. Mary's would really damage the WCC.
Dayton and VCU would be better choices, in my opinion.

 

[Red.Fans]

It is a shame Gonzaga is so far because they are a perfect fit. St. Mary's wouldn't be so bad either.

I think they'd come as a package if we ever expanded that far.

I know many of us think 10 is perfect number, and have geography concerns but if you had Gonzaga, St. Mary's, Creighton, Marquette, DePaul, and Butler on one side, and moved Xavier to our side, that's a pretty awesome conference.

I don't hate the idea but maybe think bigger and once and for all give the NCAA the finger: NPCAA :woohoo:

But seriously an East / West non-football config has some potential and could elevate some other sports like Baseball and Soccer and even Volleyball...

 

[austour]

Some caveats with Gonzaga and St. Mary's:
St. Mary's plays in an old campus gym that holds about 3,500.
Incorporation into a conference should include all sports, not just basketball. Travel realities make this problematic. Also, how many fans will travel to NYC for post-season tourney?
Loss of Gonzaga and St. Mary's would really damage the WCC.
Dayton and VCU would be better choices, in my opinion.

Add all 4, 14 is a better sized conference anyway.

Home and home in division and alternating home/away each year in other division makes for a 19 game schedule. Works well. 12 teams makes that 16 games in conference or unbalanced schedule. Don't like either of those.

 

[SJU85]

Some caveats with Gonzaga and St. Mary's:
St. Mary's plays in an old campus gym that holds about 3,500.
Incorporation into a conference should include all sports, not just basketball. Travel realities make this problematic. Also, how many fans will travel to NYC for post-season tourney?
Loss of Gonzaga and St. Mary's would really damage the WCC.
Dayton and VCU would be better choices, in my opinion.

Add all 4, 14 is a better sized conference anyway.

Home and home in division and alternating home/away each year in other division makes for a 19 game schedule. Works well. 12 teams makes that 16 games in conference or unbalanced schedule. Don't like either of those.

12 teams, home and home against teams in your division (total 10 games) and three teams home and the other three away (total six games) against the other division for 16 games. Or two home and two away and alternate the two others home and home (alternating every year so you play two from the other division home and home every three years) gives you 18 total games.

 

[L J S A]

Add all 4, 14 is a better sized conference anyway.

Home and home in division and alternating home/away each year in other division makes for a 19 game schedule. Works well. 12 teams makes that 16 games in conference or unbalanced schedule. Don't like either of those.

Gonzaga | St. John's
St. Mary's | Villanova
Wichita State | Georgetown
Creighton | Xavier
Marquette | Providence
DePaul | Seton Hall
Butler | Dayton

 

[austour]

Some caveats with Gonzaga and St. Mary's:
St. Mary's plays in an old campus gym that holds about 3,500.
Incorporation into a conference should include all sports, not just basketball. Travel realities make this problematic. Also, how many fans will travel to NYC for post-season tourney?
Loss of Gonzaga and St. Mary's would really damage the WCC.
Dayton and VCU would be better choices, in my opinion.

Add all 4, 14 is a better sized conference anyway.

Home and home in division and alternating home/away each year in other division makes for a 19 game schedule. Works well. 12 teams makes that 16 games in conference or unbalanced schedule. Don't like either of those.

12 teams, home and home against teams in your division (total 10 games) and three teams home and the other three away (total six games) against the other division for 16 games. Or two home and two away and alternate the two others home and home (alternating every year so you play two from the other division home and home every three years) gives you 18 total games.

Exactly what I said, either too few games or an unbalanced schedule (if everyone in the conference plays the same teams I consider that balanced if you seed the conference tourney by division). Both unattractive to me.

 

[SJU85]

Some caveats with Gonzaga and St. Mary's:
St. Mary's plays in an old campus gym that holds about 3,500.
Incorporation into a conference should include all sports, not just basketball. Travel realities make this problematic. Also, how many fans will travel to NYC for post-season tourney?
Loss of Gonzaga and St. Mary's would really damage the WCC.
Dayton and VCU would be better choices, in my opinion.

Add all 4, 14 is a better sized conference anyway.

Home and home in division and alternating home/away each year in other division makes for a 19 game schedule. Works well. 12 teams makes that 16 games in conference or unbalanced schedule. Don't like either of those.

12 teams, home and home against teams in your division (total 10 games) and three teams home and the other three away (total six games) against the other division for 16 games. Or two home and two away and alternate the two others home and home (alternating every year so you play two from the other division home and home every three years) gives you 18 total games.

Exactly what I said, either too few games or an unbalanced schedule (if everyone in the conference plays the same teams I consider that balanced if you seed the conference tourney by division). Both unattractive to me.

18 IMHO is the perfect number. 19 too many. 16 would be the minimum.

 

[paultzman]

Andy Katz‏ @ESPNAndyKatz

The AAC will stay with 18 conference games; 4 1-plays 7 home/homes with the addition of Wichita State.


WSU a good addition & commences play this season

 

[Sherman Sheridan & Grant]

Like many here native New Yorker but resided in Avon CT for nine years- kids did elementary school there - visited the area this weekend and noticed the Hartford Currant sports page:

CRUMBLING FOUNDATION
Ollie under scrutiny as program in turmoil tries to fix its problems...
Highlights include:
1.3 years ago UConn celebrated national championship under Ollie in his second season;

2.this year the first sub- .500 season in 30 years and 4 players have left the program; one highly touted recruit 36th ranked guard Ashton-Langford changed his mind and is not enrolling;

3.well respected Associate Head Coach Glen Miller (w/UConn on & off for 30 years) fired unceremoniously! Strength & conditioning coach Travis Illian quit in March;

4.Ollie's flaw being too " close to the vest" and not letting people in ( apparently that includes his mentor);

5.AD says part of the problem is extremely high expectations!

6.in Jim Calhoun's phrase "the program needs to re-find itself"..."UConn basketball should be special, and I think it can again"!

no love lost here for the struggling Huskies' program...
Let's go St.Johns!

 

[salty dog]

Like many here native New Yorker but resided in Avon CT for nine years- kids did elementary school there - visited the area this weekend and noticed the Hartford Currant sports page:

CRUMBLING FOUNDATION
Ollie under scrutiny as program in turmoil tries to fix its problems...
Highlights include:
1.3 years ago UConn celebrated national championship under Ollie in his second season;

2.this year the first sub- .500 season in 30 years and 4 players have left the program; one highly touted recruit 36th ranked guard Ashton-Langford changed his mind and is not enrolling;

3.well respected Associate Head Coach Glen Miller (w/UConn on & off for 30 years) fired unceremoniously! Strength & conditioning coach Travis Illian quit in March;

4.Ollie's flaw being too " close to the vest" and not letting people in ( apparently that includes his mentor);

5.AD says part of the problem is extremely high expectations!

6.in Jim Calhoun's phrase "the program needs to re-find itself"..."UConn basketball should be special, and I think it can again"!

no love lost here for the struggling Huskies' program...
Let's go St.Johns!

Seems like St. John's has been suffering like that for 30 years. One step forward and two back every few years.

 

[L J S A]

6.in Jim Calhoun's phrase "the program needs to re-find itself"..."UConn basketball should be special, and I think it can again"!

Won't refind itself any time soon unless they ditch Ollie and rehire Calhoun.