I agree that it's been a nightmare for CUSA the way they expanded to 14 still without solving geography issues then losing the TV deal.

Throwing out a realignment scenario here...

B1G (Kansas, UConn)
B12 (Houston)
AAC-Stays at 10.

For UMass this would be a death sentence as they'll never get into the AAC as it's now mostly a Midwest basketball conference (SMU, Tulsa, Wichita, Memphis, Cincinnati) plus a couple of Florida schools, ECU, Temple and Tulane.

Then I think it makes sense to push for a new 10 team eastern conference.

Massachusetts
Buffalo
Ohio
Marshall
Old Dominion
Charlotte
Appalachian St.
Georgia St.
Florida Atlantic
Florida International

10 teams to split the revenue less ways than 14 in CUSA/A10 or 12 in MAC/SBC. Could put the conference tournaments in Charlotte which is in the middle of the region. Ohio, Marshall, Old Dominion, App State and Georgia State are all within 4-5 hours of Charlotte so its workable.

A meatball with wings......UMass/Buffalo on the northern wing an FAU/FIU on the southern wing. UMass/Buffalo want the Florida schools for recruiting and the Florida schools want UMass/Buffalo for academics.

Left over G5:

MAC 10 (Don't need to expand)
CUSA 9 (Get back to 10 with Missouri St)
SBC 8 (Back to 10 with NMSU/Liberty FB-only)

Then everyone is sitting at 10 teams in the G5 except for the MWC at 12 with tighter geographies (aside from SBC in FB).