Mountain West confirms it has talked expansion with ... Gonzaga!

[WuShock Reaper]

"Mountain West confirms it has talked expansion with ... Gonzaga" - San Diego Union-Tribune

By Mark Zeigler
Posted: 02/28/18

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sd-sp-gonzaga-mountain-west-sdsu-20180228-story.html

"Gonzaga played a men's basketball game at Viejas Arena for the first time this season. It might not be the last.

Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson on Wednesday told the Union-Tribune he has held discussions with Gonzaga about leaving the West Coast Conference for the Mountain West, perhaps as early as next season...."

[AndShock]

I wonder if this is a direct reaction to Wichita State moving to the American.

[pogo]

I did not want the MWC as a conference. I was under the impression that they would NOT consider WSU as a basketball only school. Gonzaga must have a hell of a football team.

[WheatShock]

I did not want the MWC as a conference. I was under the impression that they would NOT consider WSU as a basketball only school. Gonzaga must have a hell of a football team.

That was the way I understood it too. I guess they realized that was silly and have changed their tune. They are actually in the same position the AAC was, 12 for football and 11 for everything else.

[Dave Stalwart]

Makes no sense to me why BYU isn’t already there. Mountain west oughtta make an offer to BYU, Gonzaga, Grand Canyon and New Mexico State.

let the rest of the WAC dissipate into the big west, summit and WCC.

[WheatShock]

BYU was in the MW for a while. They left so their football could go independent so its unlikely they would go back.

[Rlh04d]

BYU played six MWC teams last season, most of them in the traditional conference part of the season (when all of the good conferences are strictly in-conference games). I bet if the MWC wasn't bending over to accommodate them in the middle of the season, BYU would really struggle to find anyone to play in that period. The MWC might be the reason BYU can afford to not be in the MWC.

[Cdizzle]

SOOOOO glad we went AAC.

MWC never made sense to me, geographically. The AAC isn't exactly compact, but at least WSU isn't a complete outlier.

[ShockdaWorld]

And I don’t care what anybody says, the difference in time zones is huge when it comes to national exposure!

[WheatShock]

I'm glad we went AAC instead of MWC, but WSU isn't as much of an outlier as some think. Air Force, CSU, New Mexico, and Wyoming are all within 550 miles of Wichita. Gonzaga would only have two schools within that same radius, Boise & Utah St.

The timezone issue on the other hand is in Gonzaga's favor.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

Gonzaga would be a great fit for the MWC geographically. Institutionally not as much--it doesn't have a lot of small private religious schools. But it would be a good step up for the Zags.

Makes me sad for Saint Mary's though. Hopefully BYU's program can get back on their feet, because the WCC without the Zags is pretty awful.

[Cdizzle]

At this point I'm not sure if the WCC with Gonz/SMC/BYU isn't a better place to be than the floundering MWC. The MWC has more upside I suppose, but more risk as well.