2021-22 Basketball happenings around the American Athletic!

[Topshock]

President Bardo's Presser may shed some light on this issue for you. AAU member Presidents meet formally once a quarter and I am aware that they speak with one another informally on a more frequent basis. I look forward to the day WSU becomes a Tier One research university.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyTRmhHuzrg

That would be great if we were a Tier One research university!

When this group meets is doesn't matter what athletic conference the school is in. One should have nothing to do with the other and that is the trend. This isn't the 1960's or 70's, any president can communicate or visit with any other president any time.

[JayPak]

[C0|dB|00ded]

Tell them we will repent JayPak, tell them we. will. repent.

[Shocker1976]

That would be great if we were a Tier One research university!

When this group meets is doesn't matter what athletic conference the school is in. One should have nothing to do with the other and that is the trend. This isn't the 1960's or 70's, any president can communicate or visit with any other president any time.

"One should have nothing to do with the other." Maybe my meter is broken but I would suggest you re-listen to President Bardo, paying particular attention to the fact he devotes 75% of his time speaking to the following points:

1. All AAC members are research 1 & 2 schools with WSU in the middle regards funded research - so we fit

2. WSU is a rising major research university

3. As people (faculty & students) get to know one another this opens up opportunities and joint projects - more important than competing for championships

4. A major point is what it does for Wichita’s stature as a metropolitan center

5, His conclusion is "...at the end of the day we are a rising national university."

Edited to provide the following information -

Research budget is $164 million - a couple of additional links fyi

https://www.wichita.edu/research/

https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/profiles/s...view&fice=1950

[jrschh]

Big East Realignment — Don’t Overthink It, It’s Gonzaga or Nobody - A Dime Back
http://adimeback.com
Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman made Big East expansion news yesterday, by way of two tweets from Dana O’Neil. In the first, Ackerman says she will ask the Big East presidents to consider expansion in light of the 2025 expiration of the league’s TV deal with Fox. “What school helps with our basketball aspirations?” In […]


JayPak,

Overall, I get the premise he's "trying" to state. However, it appears he chose to do a little selective "journalism". Outside of Gonzaga, he lists SLU, VCU, Dayton, Wichita State and Memphis as teams being part of the speculation. He shoots down the speculation of all those schools, but one. He uses a BE "source" to shoot down Memphis. Then the 10 year average KenPom rating to shoot down the SLU, VCU and Dayton "not bad programs".

However, it appears he forgot to list WSU's KenPom as a non starter for BE entrance. Oh, well, that might be because we have an average KenPom of 26.2 over the last 10 years. (Not quite Gonzaga, but pretty good.) Our worse KenPom was last year at 68 and we still won the American. Additionally, he provides no other information regarding why WSU wouldn't be a good addition. (I'm not saying there might not be some, but he chooses not to address it and skips to Gonzaga as the ONLY option.)

Since the linked site appears to be a pro UCONN spot, I looked them up. Over the past 10 years UCONN's KenPom average is 64.7. For further reference, the 4 years prior to UCONN going back to the BE they had a KenPOM of 96,179, 98 and 52.

I have no clue if WSU is in the picture for the BE. I just found it interesting he brings us up, but unlike the other schools, fails to address why WSU shouldn't be considered for the BE.

[Shockm]

Tulsa, doesn't fit the AAC except for football, and a couple of others may be close to that.

[bleed yellow]

I saw another article that stated the only 2 schools the Big East would go after are KU and Gonzaga. And yes, I literally couldn’t help but laugh at the listing off of KU. They wouldn’t join the Big East and if they did, they wouldn’t stay for very long. Zaga is too far away, so we might be in for a surprise or two in the near future

[C0|dB|00ded]

Wichita State's basketball brand exceeds or equals 85% of the Big P. When we joined the AAC, it was us and them as the best of the non-power conferences. And an argument could be made that we were the 6th power conference. I would have been happy to stay in the AAC forever with the membership as it was then. Where we stand now, we would gladly accept an invite into a conference full of Evansville's, Drake's, and Creighton's. Ideally we're in a conference full of large public research universities like the AAC, but beggars can't be choosers. We'll go where the best bball is played.

[WuShockFan]

SLU fits in the Big East in terms of geography and cultural fit, but it doesn't move the needle on basketball eyeballs. Very few non-SLU fans would tune in to watch them play. Also, their last Sweet Sixteen appearance was in 1957 and they've never been to a Final Four. They are a "good" program, but not elite.

Gonzaga definitely moves the needle. Non-Gonzaga fans would watch them. Gonzaga vs. Villanova would pull in huge ratings.

I think if the Big East wants to make big moves they should expand to 14 or even 16 teams and bring in more non-football public colleges. They are currently perceived by many as being a small Catholic school league. If they want to remain that way, they are free to do that. But I think if they want to become the premier basketball league in America, they need to expand beyond the Catholic schools and private schools and bring in more non-football public colleges that have elite basketball programs.

If the Big East added Gonzaga, Wichita State, and VCU, that would bring the conference to 14 schools. There could be east and west divisions to reduce travel time for Gonzaga. WSU and VCU would move the needle since they are both national basketball brands with recent Final Four appearances.

[C0|dB|00ded]

SLU fits in the Big East in terms of geography and cultural fit, but it doesn't move the needle on basketball eyeballs. Very few non-SLU fans would tune in to watch them play. Also, their last Sweet Sixteen appearance was in 1957 and they've never been to a Final Four. They are a "good" program, but not elite.

Gonzaga definitely moves the needle. Non-Gonzaga fans would watch them. Gonzaga vs. Villanova would pull in huge ratings.

I think if the Big East wants to make big moves they should expand to 14 or even 16 teams and bring in more non-football public colleges. They are currently perceived by many as being a small Catholic school league. If they want to remain that way, they are free to do that. But I think if they want to become the premier basketball league in America, they need to expand beyond the Catholic schools and private schools and bring in more non-football public colleges that have elite basketball programs.

If the Big East added Gonzaga, Wichita State, and VCU, that would bring the conference to 14 schools. There could be east and west divisions to reduce travel time for Gonzaga. WSU and VCU would move the needle since they are both national basketball brands with recent Final Four appearances.

They will never be the premier basketball league in America. They are not the Big East. They will never be considered above the current 5 power conferences. If the Big 12 remains intact, and the AAC schools move over in a couple years, the Big P will become the undisputed best non-power basketball conference in America. We need to be included.

Well... I should clarify: if Memphis, SMU, Wichita, Tulsa, and Gonzaga move to the MWC, we could grab a bunch of NCAA invites some years, perhaps beating out the Big P. We'd also be considered P6 if BSU stays. I would prefer the latter situation. But will be absolutely happy w/ the former.

[Shocker1976]

They will never be the premier basketball league in America. They are not the Big East. They will never be considered above the current 5 power conferences. If the Big 12 remains intact, and the AAC schools move over in a couple years, the Big P will become the undisputed best non-power basketball conference in America. We need to be included.

Well... I should clarify: if Memphis, SMU, Wichita, Tulsa, and Gonzaga move to the MWC, we could grab a bunch of NCAA invites some years, perhaps beating out the Big P. We'd also be considered P6 if BSU stays. I would prefer the latter situation. But will be absolutely happy w/ the former.

Your statement is so wrong it is almost laughable; the Big East is already considered by many to be superior in basketball to the SEC and PAC conferences.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Your statement is so wrong it is almost laughable; the Big East is already considered by many to be superior in basketball to the SEC and PAC conferences.

I guess I had you wrong. You're clearly a moron.

[ShockerFever]

I guess I had you wrong. You're clearly a moron.

This statement I can 100% agree with.

[Shocker1976]

I guess I had you wrong. You're clearly a moron.

No need for resorting to name calling (leave that type response to Nabob as he will undoubtedly post something trite and useless but negative).

Check out the final Poll Rankings and you will discover the Big East each year has more teams ranked than the PAC; and competes well with the SEC regards ranked teams. Now if the Big East were to add Gonzaga and the Shockers, then IMO the Big East would surpass the Big 12 and compete favorably with the ACC and B1G for the Premier Basketball Conference.

[Shocker1976]

This statement I can 100% agree with.

As I posted Nabob is so predictable; always negative tripe from that so-called Shocker fan.