Kit-Cat

I have advocated SLU to the AAC since they added Wichita St. I've thought St. Louis and Dayton would add more depth to AAC basketball to offset the loss of UConn. I've touted SLU for the MAC because if there was any one school that COULD make a difference outside of P6s for the MAC it SLU w/ UIC combo. The MAC could get better in basketball to where it would make a difference (regular 2 bid 6ed. The Horizon League 10 years ago had Butler, Loyola and Valpo. Now it has IUPUI, IPWF and Robert Morris. MVC has lost Creighton and Wichita St to become a solid 1 bid league. Transfer rules make it easier than ever to build a NCAA tournament team overnight. Buffalo was a 6 seed in the 2019 tournament out of the MAC so its not like the conference you are in holds back a program's development like it once did.

There is a lot of assumptions here, namely that the hierarchy within mid major conferences of the A10 being stronger than the MAC will continue, particularly when the MAC has stepped up the salaries and facilities and makes more money on its TV contract. As great as what the SLU program is by joining the MAC of course it would make it stronger. From what I understand the A10 has a policy of no longer considering Midwest additions at this point so you could find yourself on an island if Dayton left but its tough to say at this point.

That's a good point Dayton/VCU's success is holding other A10 programs back. VCU I've always thought is in the right long term fit in the A10 because cross town Richmond is there along with George Mason/George Washington schools VCU wants to associate with in the DC market.

I guess that is another way of looking at the bottom heavy problem of the A10; some of those programs may feel compelled to move down. The A10 did well with the VCU addition but if they or Dayton were to leave that would be a big blow.

Fan from another conference here (MAC) who was interested to see what SLU fans thought of the A10? Do you think the league makeup is sustainable long term with the direction NCAA athletics is moving in? Good future TV deal potential? How about the travel? The MAC could offer SLU some benefits on travel, especially if they could bring in another basketball school like Illinois-Chicago. Obviously not the Big East but a longer term potential like Wichita St picked up with its move to the AAC. Curious as to what fans on here think.