(03-03-2017 10:28 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  If the AAC is seriously looking at adding Dayton, VCU and Wichita State after the season - thus immensely strengthening the middle of the conference and benefiting the top of the conference in UConn, Cincinnati, SMU, and Memphis - should the Big East look at acquiring Dayton before they have an opportunity to join the American (and, thus, possibly having opportunity to get more money, exposure and stability in the AAC)?

A few points on that:

1.) Dayton, unlike VCU and Wichita State, is an institutional fit for the Big East. They are a Catholic Midwest school, with a large supportive fan base, and an athletic program focused on men's basketball. While they are geographically close to Cincinnati (Xavier), they still would have a huge attendance figure for the conference, as well as the ability to send fans to the BE Tournament at MSG in March. They also host the First Four for March Madness, which could never hurt if you are able to get a conference team in that slot.

2.) While the Big East is in a position of strength in terms of realignment, and no real sense of any members being poached from other conference - for the first time possibly ever - there are not a whole lot of schools that institutionally, athletically, geographically and academically that check off each of the requirements for the Big East. If Dayton gets selected for the AAC, and thrives in the conference, there may be no future opportunity to pick them up for the Big East. Thus, the Big East is probably stuck at 10 for a long time (which isn't a bad thing, but it isn't a good thing either).

3.) VCU and Wichita State have always been natural, institutional and geographic fits for the AAC. They would do well in the conference, and the AAC would be smart to add them.

4.) The ACC developed a similar strategy when they took Boston College, Miami, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Notre Dame from the Big East. It's kill or be killed. It's a harsh sentiment to follow, but it is the reality when it comes to realignment.

5.) The Big East has become a top basketball conference alongside the football Power Five. It absolutely cannot afford to have the AAC to gain ground and traction to become a threat to that level of achievement. If the AAC were to add all three basketball programs - again, which would be an incredibly smart move for the conference - they would, most likely, average around 6-8 schools into the tournament every year between UConn, Cincinnati, Memphis, Temple, Tulsa, SMU, Houston, VCU, Dayton and Wichita State, thus negating the negative impact of programs like Tulane, East Carolina and USF.

And before this gets turned into a BE v. AAC discussion, I want to point out that the AAC adding these three schools would be a grand slam. It would elevate the basketball league's standing among other conferences, and separating themselves from the A-10 and MWC. From a basketball-perspective, this would be a great league.

Thoughts?