(03-25-2018 12:49 AM)Transic_nyc Wrote: I don't remember how many programs need to break away to form a conference and keep their automatic bid but I thought certain programs from the A10 should look into breaking away and forming a conference with like members from other conferences in the mold of the current Big East (since I don't think the BE is expanding at this time).
Try this for size: Loyola-IL, St. Louis, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, Richmond, Siena, St. Joseph, George Washington, Holy Cross
Covers markets in Chicago, St. Louis, Dayton-Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York
The run by the Ramblers should be giving encouragement to similar programs who are currently struggling. Holy Cross is a program that I think with the right ingredients mixed in can break out of their doldrums. Fordham is another programs that I see due for a big run.
So a Catholic/Private League would need to utilize the continuity rule (7 schools for X years) to break off the A10:
1 Dayton (1995)
2 Fordham (1995)
3 George Washington (1976)
4 St Bonaventure (1979)
5 Saint Joseph’s (1982)
6 Richmond (2001)
7 Saint Louis (2005)
Cut Duquesne and LaSalle loose. Davidson and publics optional.
Give Holy Cross a liferaft for the Boston market after they blew off the Big East. Keep Fordham solely for NY flier. Add Davidson and Loyola-Chicago for a 10 team mini-Big East of privates (almost all Catholics):
1 Boston (Holy Cross)
2 New York (Fordham)
3 Philadelphia (Saint Joseph’s)
4 Washington (George Washington)
5 Richmond (Richmond)
6 Charlotte (Davidson)
7 Cincinnati (Dayton)
8 Chicago (Loyola-Chicago)
9 St Louis (Saint Louis)
10 Saint Bonaventure
Or if you wanted to keep it purely for hoops strength and open the seal for publics. Replace HC and Fordham with VCU, URI, and UMass. Add Belmont. This would still pass the continuity rule AFAIK.
NORTHEAST (4): UMass, URI, SBU, SJU
MID ATLANTIC (4): GWU, VCU, UR, Davidson
MIDWEST (4): Dayton, Loyola-Chicago, Saint Louis, Belmont