Lower than one month after probably the most impactful days within the historical past of faculty athletics that noticed six Pac-12 applications depart the storied convention, extra dominoes fell on Friday when the ACC introduced they had been including Cal, Stanford and SMU to the convention in 2024-25.
Final month, Oregon and Washington each finalized their strikes to the Massive Ten and Arizona, Arizona State and Utah all made the information official that they might be becoming a member of the Massive 12 in 2024. The Massive Ten can have 4 former Pac-12 colleges in 2024: Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington and the Massive 12 has the “4 Nook” Pac-12 colleges. The SEC may also be getting stronger subsequent season when Texas and Oklahoma depart from the Massive 12.
Whereas the latest adjustments in convention realignment had been sparked by the growing worth of TV rights for college football, the shuffling can have a big impact on faculty basketball.
The Pac-12 now has solely two colleges remaining: Oregon State and Washington State. They’ve restricted choices going ahead with the AAC asserting this week they would not be increasing out West. Oregon State and Washington State’s most suitable choice seems to be to merge with the Mountain West.
With the addition of the three new applications, it casts severe doubt about if the ACC really obtained higher as a convention in basketball. Florida State reportedly may have its eyes on departing the ACC sooner or later. Florida State was one of some reported colleges that had been in opposition to the ACC including Cal, Stanford and SMU.
Even when the ACC in truth did not get higher like the opposite main conferences, we will determine the main strikes going down for the 2024-25 faculty basketball season.
The Massive 12, already thought-about to be the, will get even stronger by including conventional energy Arizona along with Arizona State and Utah — colleges who’ve had sporadic success all through the years in basketball. Approaching the heels of resurgent Houston becoming a member of the league for this upcoming season, the Massive 12 is poised to be ready for the upcoming lack of Texas and Oklahoma. How good is the brand new look Massive 12? Final season, all 16 league members finished in the top 80 of KemPom and this season will add the Cougars, Cincinnati, BYU and UCF.
The Massive Ten’s main strikes had been identified final yr when it added USC and basketball powerhouse UCLA, who now might be becoming a member of an 18-team league after final month’s strikes by Oregon and Washington.
The faculty basketball panorama will look totally different for the 2023-24 season however will bear a seismic shift in 2024-25 so right here is the anticipated affect the colleges transferring to a serious convention in 2024-25 may have on their new respective leagues.
ACC
Cal
Cal was one of many worst colleges from a serious convention within the nation final season. The one main convention program that ranked decrease than Cal in KenPom.com was Louisville, who went an abysmal 4-28 throughout the 2022-23 season. The Golden Bears have produced profitable NBA gamers over the past decade, together with Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Cal hasn’t made the NCAA Event since 2016 and has received lower than 15 video games in every of the final six seasons. The Golden Bears went 3-29 throughout the 2022-23 season and fired coach Mark Fox after the season. Cal employed somebody to switch Fox with Northern California roots in former Utah Valley coach Mark Madsen, who performed at rival Stanford. He might be in control of main one of many worst basketball applications within the nation by way of a severe transition.
Stanford
The Cardinal have not reached the NCAA Event since 2014 and has missed out on March Madness in 13 of the final 14 seasons. Stanford coach Jarod Haase might be on the new seat if Stanford does not present enchancment this season. The Cardinal did land one of many prime basketball prospects within the nation in McDonald’s All-American Andrej Stojakovic. Cal and Stanford have not been profitable within the Pac-12, so becoming a member of a greater basketball convention within the ACC goes to be an uphill battle.
SMU
SMU has bounced round conferences over the past three a long time and has had stops within the Southwest Convention, Western Athletic Convention, Convention USA and the AAC, the place they’ve been a full-time member since 2013. SMU has solely made the NCAA Event twice since 1994 and is coming off a 10-22 season. The Mustangs did go 30-5 and completed AAC play 17-1 earlier than falling within the opening spherical of the NCAA Event. SMU has had extra basketball success than its new league members from the Pac-12, however it’ll nonetheless be an uphill battle to compete with a number of the greatest groups within the nation.
Massive 12
Arizona
Tommy Lloyd was employed in 2021 at Arizona after a protracted stint as an assistant at Gonzaga. He immediately revived the Wildcats again to being one of many premier applications out West. Arizona is coming off being on the mistaken facet of one of many largest upsets in NCAA Event historical past, however this system seems to be in good arms going ahead. Even with Texas departing from the Massive 12 after this season, the additions of Arizona and Houston should make commissioner Brett Yormark really feel good. Arizona already has commitments from two of one of the best gamers within the 2024 class: Carter Bryant and Jamari Phillips.
Arizona State
Arizona State is in an attention-grabbing spot after agreeing to hitch the Massive 12. After lacking the NCAA Event the final two seasons, the Solar Devils responded in 2022-23 with its greatest season since 2018-19. The Massive 12 is far stronger than the Pac-12, however the Solar Devils have stability with Bobby Hurley on the helm. He signed a two-year contract extension in March that may preserve him employed at ASU by way of the 2025-26 season. The Solar Devils have not made it out of the primary weekend of the match for the reason that 1994-95 season and becoming a member of the Massive 12 solely makes that street more durable.
Colorado
Colorado goes again to acquainted territory to a convention they helped present in 1994. The Buffaloes left the Massive 12 for the Pac-12 in 2011 and instantly had success. After not making the NCAA Event eight straight seasons within the Massive 12, Colorado made the match in 4 of its first 5 seasons as a member of the Pac-12. Colorado has by no means been often called a basketball powerhouse and you may argue it’s in an identical spot as Arizona State. Each applications are trending towards success. Colorado’s soccer program will profit extra from the transfer, however the familiarity ought to assist the transition in basketball as nicely.
Utah
Utah going to the Massive 12 may very nicely harm its basketball program within the quick time period. Since becoming a member of the Pac-12 in 2011, the Utes have solely made the NCAA Event twice and have didn’t win 20 video games within the final 5 seasons. The brand new additions the Massive 12 has made over the past two realignments cycles may solidify the Massive 12 because the premier basketball convention in 2024. Except this system makes an enormous soar, the Utes may wrestle instantly.
Massive Ten
Oregon
Oregon has one of many prime faculty athletic manufacturers within the nation and this transfer will definitely assist broaden the Massive Ten’s footprint out West. The Geese basketball program has been constant during the last decade and made the NCAA Event seven of eight occasions the match was held from 2012-2021. Oregon received 24 video games throughout the 2019-20 season and would’ve actually made the NCAA Event had it not been canceled due to COVID-19. The Massive Ten might be a check for Oregon due to the upgraded competitors, however the prolonged sources ought to assist this system obtain success.
UCLA
Not solely will UCLA be one of many prime applications within the Massive Ten upon its arrival subsequent season, however additionally they have top-of-the-line coaches in America in Mick Cronin, who has Midwest roots. Over the last three seasons, UCLA has reached the Candy 16 twice and the Remaining 4 as soon as in 2021, after they misplaced to Gonzaga on an iconic buzzer-beater by Jalen Suggs. UCLA’s recruiting efforts below Cronin have additionally been very impactful. UCLA signed a top-20 class within the final two recruiting cycles and already has a dedication from one of many prime gamers within the 2024 class in Eric Freeny. UCLA would be the group most ready for the soar to the Massive Ten due to its status and up to date success.
USC
USC goes to be one of many applications below a microscope in 2023 due to two causes: they’ve the No. 2 general participant from the 2023 recruiting class (Isaiah Collier) and Bronny James elected to remain near his father in Los Angeles and play at USC. Bronny’s standing heading into the season is way extra complicated due to the scary incident that occurred final month that noticed him hospitalized after going into cardiac arrest and collapsing throughout a basketball observe with the Trojans. A wild card that might cement USC as one of many must-watch applications within the Massive Ten is that if the youthful James elects to remain one other season to enhance his draft inventory. USC coach Andy Enfield has proved he can recruit and must proceed to take action at a excessive degree to maintain up with the elite applications within the convention.
Washington
`Since Utah and Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011, Washington has made the NCAA Event solely as soon as. The Huskies have didn’t win 20 or extra video games in 9 of the final 11 seasons and the basketball program is in an identical spot as Utah. Each applications are becoming a member of a brand new convention that might see them end close to the underside of the standings the primary few seasons they seem to be a member. Washington’s latest struggles as a member of the Pac-12 is not an enormous vote of confidence that this system will reach a much better basketball convention.
SEC
Oklahoma
When former coach Lon Kruger introduced he was retiring following the 2020-21 season, Oklahoma made a splash rent and plucked Loyola Chicago coach Porter Moser away to be the brand new man in cost at OU. The Sooners have not made an NCAA Event look in Moser’s first two seasons on the helm however are coming off a 19-win season. Oklahoma’s 2023 recruiting class completed in the midst of the Massive 12 and has a pair of four-stars coming into this system this season in Kaden Cooper and Jacolb Cole. You can also make the argument this transfer for Oklahoma basketball might be good for this system long-term because the Massive 12 is a greater general basketball convention within the present state than the SEC.
Texas
Rodney Terry has the Longhorns stepping into the proper path. After Texas handled former coach Chris Beard being fired initially of the brand new yr, Terry took over and helped information the group to the Elite Eight. Texas eliminated the interim tag off Terry’s title and employed him to a five-year deal. The SEC might be in an attention-grabbing spot for the 2024-25 season due to the shaky play of Kentucky in recent times and the rise of Alabama. With the state of the convention as of at this time, Texas ought to be capable to compete for a SEC championship instantly.
