The NCAA tournament and Big East Expansion

[Coleman]

I know its just one game, and one that could have easily gone the other way, but I really wish SLU was already a Big East team. I know they have a lot of seniors leaving, but I think Crews will keep them at a very competitive level. I love the way they play.

We need to add 2 teams ASAP. The A-10 getting 6 teams in this year only solidified my belief that expansion needs to be a top proriority for Ackerman and team. Hopefully they move faster than they did on the Big East website. I honestly don't care who the other team is, throw a dart at a board and pick one of these teams: VCU, Witchita State, Dayton, St. Joes, Richmond, George Washington. Georgetown and Nova would probably veto St Joes and GW, so I think you need to add SLU and one of the others. It needs to happen ASAP.

The more I think about it, the more I like Wichita State, it gives Creighton another close rival

[LAMUfan]

Georgetown and Nova don't want an all Midwestern conference either so Wichita st would be a stretch.

[The Lens]

Part of me wonders if we wouldn't be better served with 2 really east coast teams that we could beat up on so that all those 10-8 records become 12-6, 13-5.

Like Fordham and BU.  I will defer to the RPI experts but I wonder perhaps we have too many solid teams.  Sometimes I think you need great teams and bad teams.   

Is this notion crazy?

[Coleman]

Part of me wonders if we wouldn't be better served with 2 really east coast teams that we could beat up on so that all those 10-8 records become 12-6, 13-5.

Like Fordham and BU.  I will defer to the RPI experts but I wonder perhaps we have too many solid teams.  Sometimes I think you need great teams and bad teams.   

Is this notion crazy?

Not crazy. That's what the A-10 did. Its what the AAC has done. Their bottom halfs ensure they get enough teams with decent records in the tournament.

Fordham and BU are really bad though. Not sure we want to go that low.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Why would we want Fordham and BU? Much better teams like SLU and Dayton would bend over backwards to get into the Big East. There are more than 20 teams I can think about off the top of my head that I would want before those two schools.

[ChicosBailBonds]

We have to do better with outside the conference wins, that is the key IMO.  Yes, adding bottom feeders adds to a win total, but lets also not forget only a few years ago 11 of 16 teams made the dance.

It can be done with a fantastic league of great teams up and down the league, even beating up on each other.  I look at SJU, GTown and MU especially, the issue wasn't what the did in league so much, its what they didn't do outside of it.  GTown had a couple of really good wins, but some horrific losses.  MU and SJU nothing of note outside of conference.

If those three teams took care of business, they would have made the tournament, but we didn't.

If you look at the A-10 teams that got in, yes they had some gaudy conference records but they also had some solid out of conference wins that our guys couldn't match. 

That's ultimately what it comes down to.   Adding more upper echelon teams would be my preference, but we have to get some scalps outside of conference to make the tournament.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Not crazy. That's what the A-10 did. Its what the AAC has done. Their bottom halfs ensure they get enough teams with decent records in the tournament.

Fordham and BU are really bad though. Not sure we want to go that low.

BU did make the NIT this year.

[Hards Alumni]

We have to do better with outside the conference wins, that is the key IMO.  Yes, adding bottom feeders adds to a win total, but lets also not forget only a few years ago 11 of 16 teams made the dance.

It can be done with a fantastic league of great teams up and down the league, even beating up on each other.  I look at SJU, GTown and MU especially, the issue wasn't what the did in league so much, its what they didn't do outside of it.  GTown had a couple of really good wins, but some horrific losses.  MU and SJU nothing of note outside of conference.

If those three teams took care of business, they would have made the tournament, but we didn't.

If you look at the A-10 teams that got in, yes they had some gaudy conference records but they also had some solid out of conference wins that our guys couldn't match. 

That's ultimately what it comes down to.   Adding more upper echelon teams would be my preference, but we have to get some scalps outside of conference to make the tournament.

You need to stop making so much sense.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Part of me wonders if we wouldn't be better served with 2 really east coast teams that we could beat up on so that all those 10-8 records become 12-6, 13-5.

Like Fordham and BU.  I will defer to the RPI experts but I wonder perhaps we have too many solid teams.  Sometimes I think you need great teams and bad teams.   

Is this notion crazy?

Yes.

Add Richmond and Dayton and beat up on them.  Don't dilute the conference by adding those two horrid programs (Fordham and BU).  

[LAMUfan]

I said this in a different post... We should add Harvard

I would love to have a team in Boston though, Holy Cross should step it up

[Farley36]

I believe the Big East needs to do to the A10 what the ACC did to the Big East.  That is take enough of their good teams to severly weaken them and ensure you are top dog from a bball perspective.  In this case we aren't fighting for overall best bball conference but we can take a big lead over other non football conferences.  I still think it makes sense to have a 14-16 team league.  A true round robin format is over rated and out dated.  We need to focus on getting as many good bball schools as possible.  I'd definitely add St. Louis, VCU, and Dayton. I'd strongly consider UMass for another east coast team in a new market.  That would get us to 14 with an even balance between east coast and midwest teams.   I have no idea if Witchita St is set up for ongoing success but if they are I would consider adding them and another east coast team to get to 16 teams with a good geographical balance.

[Coleman]

I said this in a different post... We should add Harvard

I would love to have a team in Boston though, Holy Cross should step it up

Nitpicking, but Holy Cross is in Worcester

[Warrior_2002]

Funny how an upset in the tournament changes so much in a year.  I was on here a year ago going against those saying Dayton would bring the conference down.  And now they beat OSU and suddenly they are everyone's top choice to add with SLU.  

Definitely agree they need to add and add quick before the conference falls in line as a top mid-major conference.

[Coleman]

Funny how an upset in the tournament changes so much in a year.  I was on here a year ago going against those saying Dayton would bring the conference down.  And now they beat OSU and suddenly they are everyone's top choice to add with SLU.  

Definitely agree they need to add and add quick before the conference falls in line as a top mid-major conference.

Not my top choice. I'd rather have VCU. But we need someone ASAP.

[Warrior_2002]

I believe the Big East needs to do to the A10 what the ACC did to the Big East.  That is take enough of their good teams to severly weaken them and ensure you are top dog from a bball perspective.  In this case we aren't fighting for overall best bball conference but we can take a big lead over other non football conferences.  I still think it makes sense to have a 14-16 team league.  A true round robin format is over rated and out dated.  We need to focus on getting as many good bball schools as possible.  I'd definitely add St. Louis, VCU, and Dayton. I'd strongly consider UMass for another east coast team in a new market.  That would get us to 14 with an even balance between east coast and midwest teams.   I have no idea if Witchita St is set up for ongoing success but if they are I would consider adding them and another east coast team to get to 16 teams with a good geographical balance.

I agree.  I like your 4 teams...SLU, Dayton, VCU and UMass.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Definitely agree they need to add and add quick before the conference falls in line as a top mid-major conference.

Why is everybody so worried about this. I for one have no worry about the conference. Lets not forget we still have us Nova, GTown and X. That and Ed Cooley is doing work on the recruiting trail and Seton Hall next year is going to look the best they have in years.

[Coleman]

I agree.  I like your 4 teams...SLU, Dayton, VCU and UMass.

UMass has FBS Football. We don't want to go there.

SLU, Dayton, VCU, Wichita State. If Wichita State isn't possible, then Richmond.

We need to invite four at one time. This way they will all know that if they decide to stay back in the A-10 they will be the only ones left.

[Tugg Speedman]

I know its just one game, and one that could have easily gone the other way, but I really wish SLU was already a Big East team. I know they have a lot of seniors leaving, but I think Crews will keep them at a very competitive level. I love the way they play.

Yes!!

After 200,000 posts here on why it would be a mistake to add SLU, and we even short-handed the end of our program "becoming SLU," we are now wishing SLU was in the BE all along!!!

[Hards Alumni]

I know its just one game, and one that could have easily gone the other way, but I really wish SLU was already a Big East team. I know they have a lot of seniors leaving, but I think Crews will keep them at a very competitive level. I love the way they play.

We need to add 2 teams ASAP. The A-10 getting 6 teams in this year only solidified my belief that expansion needs to be a top proriority for Ackerman and team. Hopefully they move faster than they did on the Big East website. I honestly don't care who the other team is, throw a dart at a board and pick one of these teams: VCU, Witchita State, Dayton, St. Joes, Richmond, George Washington. Georgetown and Nova would probably veto St Joes and GW, so I think you need to add SLU and one of the others. It needs to happen ASAP.

The more I think about it, the more I like Wichita State, it gives Creighton another close rival

Add VCU (only if Smart stays) and St. Joes.

[Tugg Speedman]

Part of me wonders if we wouldn't be better served with 2 really east coast teams that we could beat up on so that all those 10-8 records become 12-6, 13-5.

Like Fordham and BU.  I will defer to the RPI experts but I wonder perhaps we have too many solid teams.  Sometimes I think you need great teams and bad teams.   

Is this notion crazy?

St' Johns and Seton Hall will veto Fordham
Providence will Veto BU. (Prov thinks its in the Boston TV market ... Like X thinks Dayton is in the Cincy market and would veto Cincy for the same reason)

Have to find TV markets not covered by the BE for expansion.

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If you think I'm overplaying this TV market consideration, would you be OK adding UWM and/or UWGB to the BE?  They are the same level as most of the teams mentioned here.

[Coleman]

St' Johns and Seton Hall will veto Fordham
Providence will Veto BU. (Prov thinks its in the Boston TV market ... Like X thinks Dayton is in the Cincy market and would veto Cincy for the same reason)

Have to find TV markets not covered by the BE for expansion.

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If you think I'm overplaying this TV market consideration, would you be OK adding UWM and/or UWGB to the BE?  They are the same level as most of the teams mentioned here.

I think you are right. Dayton, SLU, VCU, Wichita

[LAMUfan]

Nitpicking, but Holy Cross is in Worcester

and Harvard is in Cambridge

[Spotcheck Billy]

No love for North Dakota State?

[Tugg Speedman]

I think you are right. Dayton, SLU, VCU, Wichita

With 10 teams in the BE, we get 10% of the revenue.  

With 14 teams in the BE, we get 7.14% of the revenue.

That's OK if the four teams will increase revenues by 40%.  The four above will not do it.  

Add them and MU makes millions less.  College Bball is first and foremost a business.

[Litehouse]

Why do we need new teams ASAP?  I'd prefer to stick with 10 as long as possible.  If our existing teams would have taken care of business this year we could have had 7 teams in the tournament.  Win more big OOC games, schedule less crappy buy games, and don't lose to DePaul, Butler and Seton Hall.