With the realignment craziness that will take into effect next year, all anyone really wants to talk about it football, money and television markets. But what does it mean for men's basketball? Sure, all of this is done with football in mind but the rest of the sports have to deal with it. So let's talk hoops.
ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
Coming: California, SMU, Stanford
The ACC was a basketball conference until they expanded with Florida State in the 1990s and Miami, Virginia Tech, etc in the mid-2000s. Granted, the new schools have held their own in basketball as well so hopefully that will continue with the western additions.
SMU isn't a great addition. The Mustangs have reached the NCAA Tournament twice in the last 30 years ... and those bookended a season where they were ineligible due to academic fraud and ethics violations. The Mustangs are coming off a 10-22 season and their sixth straight season missing the NCAA Tournament.
Cal hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 2017 and have fallen far since the Mike Montgomery era a decade ago. The Bears have had some great talent over the years, but that's not been the case of late. New head coach Mark Madsen (who went to Stanford) has his work cut out for him. Stanford has missed the last nine NCAA tournaments, but did win the NIT in 2015. Jerod Haase is entering his 8th season but does know the ACC from his time as an assistant at North Carolina under Roy Williams.
Needless to say that this isn't a very good haul for the ACC.
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Coming: Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington
The Big Ten got some of the best hoops teams from the Pac-12. UCLA, of course, is a blue blood who has won more NCAA tournaments than anyone. Even though the Bruins haven't won one since 1995, they've been to Final Fours and filling the NBA with talent. UCLA fits well with the Big Ten's top programs like Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
USC hasn't competed for national titles, but they are able to put talent in the NBA. Of course, Bronny James is a Trojan this year and who knows if he'll still be there when USC joins the Big Ten. USC has been to the last three NCAA tournaments and reached the Elite 8 in 2021.
Oregon's Dana Altman has been one of the better coaches to not have won a national championship. He took the Ducks to the 2017 Final Four and five Sweet 16s since 2013. Obviously Oregon brings Nike along with it and should thrive in a competitive Big Ten. As for Washington, they've been a roller coaster of a program and have been to just one NCAA tournament in the last 12 years. That came after the Dubs reached the Big Dance six times in eight years. Of the four additions, Washington is the weakest, which means the Big Ten got a very strong collection.
BIG 12 CONFERENCE
Coming: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah
The Big 12 has been the best hoops conference the last several years and they certainly got stronger adding a program like Arizona. The Wildcats have been to 34 of the last 38 NCAA tournaments, four Final Fours and 18 Sweet 16s. Their rival, Arizona State, has been to just four NCAAs in the last 14 years and haven't reached the Sweet 16 since 1995.
Utah isn't the same program since Rick Majerus left in 2004. Since then, the Utes have been to just four NCAAs and just one Sweet 16 in the last 18 years. Colorado pops in and out of the tournament for years now but hasn't reached a Sweet 16 since ... 1969!
Add this to this year's hoops haul -- BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF -- and this becomes an even more interesting basketball conference.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Coming: Oklahoma, Texas
The SEC has gotten much stronger in basketball and both Oklahoma and Texas should help build it further. No, the Sooners and Longhorns aren't Final Four regulars but they are solid programs. Texas has had some coaching changes after Rick Barnes left in 2015, but they've reached the Elite 8 last season. Oklahoma was an NCAA tournament regular under Lon Kruger but has struggled in two seasons under Porter Moser.
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