If so, it could become the West Coast A-10, KEEP Gonzaga relevant and finally shut them up for good bout not getting enough help.

SMC has no future, their fan base is still very small despite sustained success with limited growth potential (it'd be extremely large but passive if they morphed into Villanova). BYU may not stay forever, this is just their best option for now.

It probably won't happen but the C7 just brought in a public, so it's not impossible.

WCC used to have publics before.

San Jose State 1952 to 1969
Fresno State 1955 to 1957
UC-Santa Barbara 1964 to 1969
UNR 1969 to 1979
UNLV 1969 to 1975

Other former member was Seattle U.

Any other private schools they get are Grand Canyon, Cal. Baptist, Denver and Seattle U. Others are in D2 range from Hawaii to RMAC schools in Colorado. The only other 4 year college in Nevada is NAIA's Sierra Nevada.

Would Big Sky or Big West schools be interested with the allure of at-large bids and better TV?

(06-28-2019 01:50 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  If so, it could become the West Coast A-10, KEEP Gonzaga relevant and finally shut them up for good bout not getting enough help.

Who is available that would even be worthwhile, and/or interested, to make it even worth considering?

(06-28-2019 02:08 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  Would Big Sky or Big West schools be interested with the allure of at-large bids and better TV?

Since 2000, how many NCAA bids outside of the Gonzaga / Saint Mary's / BYU triumvirate have the rest of the WCC earned as a whole? Is it like five or something?

That's not exactly a good sign.

(06-28-2019 01:42 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(06-28-2019 01:50 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  If so, it could become the West Coast A-10, KEEP Gonzaga relevant and finally shut them up for good bout not getting enough help.

Who is available that would even be worthwhile, and/or interested, to make it even worth considering?

The only one I can think of is UC Irvine, which has had a strong run of recent success including a couple of NCAA Tournament bids (plus the win over K-State back in March). That's really about it, and I don't think Irvine is any sort of game-changer for the WCC.

They would probably add public schools if it came down to it, but it's not really worth considering right now because there is no one that screams "must-have."

Public? No. Well not a hell no. one of the UC schools, like San Diego or Santa Barbara, provided they start making the NCAA tournament with regularity and their NET is consistently top 100. But why would they leave the Big West?

Grand Canyon is possible if they start going to NCAA tournaments with regularity. Still need to be considered a bit more elite a school than they are now (AI is not close to good enough). But check back in a decade to see if all the AI boxes are checked, as well as the athletics.

Beyond the above I don't see anyone that would interest them. If Gonzaga and BYU leave with the next major shake up, I think the conference would become even more insular, even more focused on having common identities and along the west coast. Cal Baptist, Seattle and Grand Canyon.

Identity boxes in growth, but it also builds in security and common identity. That seems to be the alignment in the West (private, mostly religious mission WCC, public California schools Big West, High budget major research institutions P12, public schools at FBS MWC, smaller regional schools at FCS the Big Sky, misfit toys and orphans the WAC)