Maybe, Wedge. Aztecs sharing a conference with "that pretty school up the hill" (USD) might be too much for them. They certainly wouldn't like sharing one with UCSD.

Nevada would benefit from a move back to the WCC.

(04-19-2021 02:37 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(04-19-2021 01:34 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(04-19-2021 01:17 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-19-2021 12:28 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  More evidence of Gonzaga's doesn't need to join a "real" conference. They signed the #1 HS recruit Chet Holmgren.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket...ts-gonzaga

Exactly. They have the No.2 recruiting class in the nation, with two 5-star players and two 4-star recruits coming in. The two 5-star recruits are from Big 10 states (Minnesota & Nebraska) and the two 4-star recruits are from Florida & Washington State. They are a national brand recruiting all over the country.

But Gonzaga has had talent and national recognition for years. They've also gotten to the point where the WCC isn't even a handicap in terms of the Selection Committee (#1 seed three seasons since 2013). This year's Gonzaga team was IMO just as talented as Baylor's team and many on this board agreed. What was the difference between Gonzaga and Baylor this year or that game? Was it talent? Coaching? Or a better conference/tougher schedule and that Baylor was more prepared for NCAA level competition? Gonzaga isn't going to be able to join the Big 12 or a conference anywhere near that level but can they upgrade from the WCC? I think the MWC is an upgrade and might be enough to put them over the top. And if you thought Baylor was more talented, playing in a better conference probably allows Baylor to attract better talent than Gonzaga. No matter what you say, playing in a better conference will help Gonzaga. The question is how much better a conference the MWC is from the WCC. I think it is significant enough. Can Gonzaga win a national championship as a WCC member? As of 2021, the answer is still no.

Eh - I don't see it as such as huge gap. It's probably fair to say that the bottom half of the MWC is generally more competitive than the bottom half of the WCC year-to-year, but in terms of the top teams, that hasn't been the case. Let's put it this way: it's not enough of an upgrade to justify Gonzaga leaving a league of institutional peers that it effectively controls and tethering itself to a G5 football league (where there's always an underlying instability). If the MWC was at the AAC's level, then that might be a different story... but that just hasn't been the case.

The criticism of the Zags’ WCC schedule will become much less persuasive if they actually win it all. There has been a good amount of dead weight in the new Big East but no one really criticizes it. That may be in part because of the league’s name but it’s also influenced by Villanova winning 2 titles in 3 years. Next year needs to be the year Few gets its done - Sallis and Holmgren are likely 1 and done guys and the Zags will probably start the year ranked #1.

I'm not exactly sure what counts as a "good amount of dead weight in the new Big East" since pretty much everyone except DePaul has gotten to the tournament since the split. And even while DePaul may be a stinker, and there are down years for many/most of those programs, there was still good work from all of them at times in the non-conference.

That isn't the case with the WCC by even the longest country mile.

Right now, neither side of the Gonzaga-Big East thing needs each other. After Few leaves, I think that shifts, though. And the move would be strategic for Gonzaga much like it is/was for Butler, Xavier, and Creighton. Those great mid/non-majors could be consistent anywhere they are, but the perks of being in the Big East over a non-major conference are quite definable. "Major" operations are far more sustainable there than elsewhere.

We also talk like Gonzaga has known some kind of "down time" over the years, too. That really isn't true, either. That simply hasn't been known under Few...who really built this program.

(04-19-2021 05:16 PM)Wedge Wrote:  So, maybe Nevada and SDSU should toughen up their basketball teams by joining the WCC?

A Gonzaga breakaway League with those who have football as independents or AAC for football only would be fascinating

(04-20-2021 12:37 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(04-19-2021 05:16 PM)Wedge Wrote:  So, maybe Nevada and SDSU should toughen up their basketball teams by joining the WCC?

A Gonzaga breakaway League with those who have football as independents or AAC for football only would be fascinating

Gonzaga already has BYU in the WCC. Adding BYU to the WCC was a very good move for both BYU and the conference. But there's no other football "indy" or "only" who adds enough basketball value to make it worthwhile for Gonzaga to send all of its sports teams on 6-hour plane flights for every non-conference road game.

(04-20-2021 01:16 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(04-20-2021 12:37 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(04-19-2021 05:16 PM)Wedge Wrote:  So, maybe Nevada and SDSU should toughen up their basketball teams by joining the WCC?

A Gonzaga breakaway League with those who have football as independents or AAC for football only would be fascinating

Gonzaga already has BYU in the WCC. Adding BYU to the WCC was a very good move for both BYU and the conference. But there's no other football "indy" or "only" who adds enough basketball value to make it worthwhile for Gonzaga to send all of its sports teams on 6-hour plane flights for every non-conference road game.

Too bad Denver can't get it together and become a legit basketball school.

(04-20-2021 03:47 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(04-20-2021 01:16 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(04-20-2021 12:37 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(04-19-2021 05:16 PM)Wedge Wrote:  So, maybe Nevada and SDSU should toughen up their basketball teams by joining the WCC?

A Gonzaga breakaway League with those who have football as independents or AAC for football only would be fascinating

Gonzaga already has BYU in the WCC. Adding BYU to the WCC was a very good move for both BYU and the conference. But there's no other football "indy" or "only" who adds enough basketball value to make it worthwhile for Gonzaga to send all of its sports teams on 6-hour plane flights for every non-conference road game.

Too bad Denver can't get it together and become a legit basketball school.

Unfortunately, Denver is a hockey school.