(03-15-2024 09:44 AM)OKIcat Wrote: (03-15-2024 09:41 AM)Z-Fly Wrote: (03-14-2024 01:29 PM)OKIcat Wrote: Just tuned in the last seven minutes of UCONN's annihilation of X. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.
UCONN is impressive though and I can't imagine they'll be in the BE much longer, especially if they win another NCAA title this year. Will Brett Yormark and the B12 go hard for the Huskies in the offseason this time for fear of the ACC grabbing UCONN? It should be interesting to watch once we know if Florida State (and others from the ACC) are going to be on the move to the SEC or B10. UCONN probably brings more eyeballs in that #1 NYC metro than any other program.
Another factor is impending negotiation of the BE media deal with Fox. Without UCONN, maybe Fox feels they can hold the line on paying a premium for that remaining content based upon viewership of the new BE.
There's hardly a dull moment in conference realignment.
Football is the big guy. Basketball is the little guy. UConn would need to drop football for that to happen, most likely. I can't imagine TV is paying a full boat for UConn football.
I'm sure that's what kept UCONN on the outside looking in when the Big 12 expanded again with AZ, ASU, CO, and UT. Would Yormark take Gonzaga + UCONN basketball only? I don't know but I question Gonzaga's long term viability after their coach retires. Of course I might have questioned UCONN winning two more national titles after Calhoun retired too.
It would be a poor decision for UConn to leave the Big East.
UConn has historically had little success recruiting outside of the Big East.
I posted the following a few months ago:
From the time that UConn became a major program in 1951/52 (records lagged by one year to account for when recruits were recruited):
UConn Winning Percentage by conference that recruits were recruited to (i.e. skipping the first year they're in the conference)
.629 - Yankee Conference (52/53-76/77)
.619 - Independent (77/78 - 79/80)
.690 - Big East (80/81-13/14)
.561 - American (14/15-20/21)
.750 - Big East (21/22-22/23)
UConn Final Fours by conference that recruits were recruited to
0 - Yankee Conference (52/53-76/77)
0 - Independent (77/78 - 79/80)
5 - Big East (80/81-13/14)
0 - American (14/15-20/21)
1 - Big East (21/22-22/23)
UConn NCAA tournament victories by conference that recruits were recruited to
4 - Yankee Conference (52/53-76/77)
0 - Independent (77/78 - 79/80)
54 - Big East (80/81-13/14)
1 - American (14/15-20/21)
6 - Big East (21/22-22/23)