UConn to BE Rumors

[Eldon]

That's a burn on St Louis, having been to both cities many times I'll take St. Louis over Baltimore for everything except crab cakes.

[warriorfred]

Weird, I am an alumnus of both UST and Marquette.  The difficult part about attending St. Thomas is when people ask if you went to school in the Virgin Islands?

I like the idea of adding St. Thomas to the Bid East in the long-term.  Academically the school is a great fit and the Minneapolis/St. Paul market is appealing.  But let's see how UST handles the transition in the next few years (facilities, fan attendance, campus expansion, etc...), before saying yes or no.

[The Sultan]

Weird, I am an alumnus of both UST and Marquette.  The difficult part about attending St. Thomas is when people ask if you went to school in the Virgin Islands?

I like the idea of adding St. Thomas to the Bid East in the long-term.  Academically the school is a great fit and the Minneapolis/St. Paul market is appealing.  But let's see how UST handles the transition in the next few years (facilities, fan attendance, campus expansion, etc...), before saying yes or no.

Few years?  It's going to be a couple decades before UST is going to have any shot at BE membership.

[GooooMarquette]

Few years?  It's going to be a couple decades before UST is going to have any shot at BE membership.

Yep. If this happens in less than 20 years, it would be a miracle.

Teams move up to D-1 all the time now, but they don't make it to one of the big six power conferences.

[Spotcheck Billy]

In the Athletic, Dana O'Neill addresses Big East expansion by adding St. Louis:
If the Big East was ever going to add one more team, where would Saint Louis rank on the list?
I'll preface this answer by saying that, in my conversations with commissioner Val Ackerman after UConn was added, I got a very strong sense that there is no appetite for further expansion anytime soon. Eleven teams allow for a full round-robin schedule and also keeps things balanced. Additionally, the league has proven to be more than adequate and competitive just as it is, so there's no rush to add teams simply to add teams.
So in the very hypothetical of imagining that, for some reason, the Big East has to go bigger, Saint Louis would certainly be a viable option. The school fits the Catholic-school/basketball-only mold of the league, is making steady strides back to prominence and would give the conference more presence in the Midwest, to go along with Marquette, DePaul, Butler, Xavier and Creighton. My guess would be the Billikens would join Dayton and VCU as the most attractive fits.
But again, I don't see it happening anytime soon.

[Warrior of Law]

That analysis is spot-on. There is little financial incentive for expansion, and it might even dilute the overall product. If there was a great fit in SEC country or Texas, then perhaps. 11 solid programs at great schools is ideal.

[asdfasdf]

I agree, 11 is a good spot for the big east. But isn't St. Louis exactly what you're describing - a good fit, in sec country?

[Dr. Blackheart]

ABD

[brewcity77]

I agree, 11 is a good spot for the big east. But isn't St. Louis exactly what you're describing - a good fit, in sec country?

I think any new candidate needs to bring tangible value. I'm not sure that's SLU. Honestly, outside Notre Dame and Gonzaga, I'm not sure anyone brings enough value and is a good fit.

[Mr. Nielsen]

I think St. Louis is a good fit. Yet, brings zero value.

[Nukem2]

I think St. Louis is a good fit. Yet, brings zero value.

Yep, so it won't happen.

[The Lens]

I think any new candidate needs to bring tangible value. I'm not sure that's SLU. Honestly, outside Notre Dame and Gonzaga, I'm not sure anyone brings enough value and is a good fit.

Amen.  We should only be looking to add national programs.  I don't see any way we ever get ND bc I think the ACC will always be a stronger home for their Olympic sports.  The Zags make the most sense.  There is a point where Fox money could make a lot of travel problems disappear and enough to placate the WCC to let the Zags keep their Olympic sports there.  Just a matter of how big of a check Fox (or someone else) is going to write.

[🏀]

ABD

My man!

[Herman Cain]

I think St. Louis is a good fit. Yet, brings zero value.

The goal SLU should focus on is being among the best in breed in the A-10 for 8-10 years in a row. That is a formidable challenge, given the competition they face in that league.

[Cheeks]

Amen.  We should only be looking to add national programs.  I don't see any way we ever get ND bc I think the ACC will always be a stronger home for their Olympic sports.  The Zags make the most sense.  There is a point where Fox money could make a lot of travel problems disappear and enough to placate the WCC to let the Zags keep their Olympic sports there.  Just a matter of how big of a check Fox (or someone else) is going to write.

Is Gonzaga a national program after Few leaves?

It's not just the check that would be needed, but the wear and tear of that travel isn't conducive either.  I remember reading an article that featured Hawaii and their basketball program...the miles logged, classes missed and schoolwork needed to be made up was exhausting to their efforts.  By season end they are worn out with travel, starting times, time zone impacts, etc.

[Lennys Tap]

  I remember reading an article that featured Hawaii and their basketball program...the miles logged, classes missed and schoolwork needed to be made up was exhausting to their efforts.  By season end they are worn out with travel, starting times, time zone impacts, etc.

Maybe we'll get lucky and draw Hawaii in the NCAA tourney. They'll be just as exhausted as we've been in the second half of the game!

[bilsu]

Is Gonzaga a national program after Few leaves?

It's not just the check that would be needed, but the wear and tear of that travel isn't conducive either.  I remember reading an article that featured Hawaii and their basketball program...the miles logged, classes missed and schoolwork needed to be made up was exhausting to their efforts.  By season end they are worn out with travel, starting times, time zone impacts, etc.

Through last season the top 50 programs by wins.

37 Gonzaga  1,668 wins
46 Marquette 1,634 wins

Few was an assistant under Monson, who was hired away by Minnesota.

[cheebs09]

I agree, 11 is a good spot for the big east. But isn't St. Louis exactly what you're describing - a good fit, in sec country?

I think Missouri being considered SEC country is a bit of a stretch. They are a bit of an outlier in the SEC. I'd say that's more Big 12 country.

[asdfasdf]

Missouri is literally SEC country.

[Marcus92]

St. Louis is less than 40 miles south of Cincinnati in latitude. And it's closer to the other Midwestern schools in the Big East than any of them are to the East coast schools:

Indianapolis (240 miles)
Chicago (300 miles)
Cincinnati (350 miles)
Milwaukee (370 miles)
Omaha (430 miles)

For comparison, Cincy to DC is 520 miles. Omaha to New Haven is 1,300 miles.

[MU82]

I think any new candidate needs to bring tangible value. I'm not sure that's SLU. Honestly, outside Notre Dame and Gonzaga, I'm not sure anyone brings enough value and is a good fit.

Works for me.

[Dr. Blackheart]

My man!

I learned from The Best!

[Marcus92]

The Zags make the most sense.  There is a point where Fox money could make a lot of travel problems disappear and enough to placate the WCC to let the Zags keep their Olympic sports there.  Just a matter of how big of a check Fox (or someone else) is going to write.

How about a check big enough for Gonzaga to relocate its entire university to Minneapolis? Or maybe just open a branch/extension there. That's not too much to ask, is it?

[Marcus92]

Or, maybe Gonzaga and St. Thomas could trade campuses.

[Cheeks]

Through last season the top 50 programs by wins.

37 Gonzaga  1,668 wins
46 Marquette 1,634 wins

Few was an assistant under Monson, who was hired away by Minnesota.

They start their conference slate 18-0 each year which helps tremendously.