The Kansas basketball program has more wins over the past two decades than any other school. The Jayhawks have made 21 straight NCAA tournaments and won three national championships. All-American alumni include Wilt Chamberlain, Danny Manning and Paul Pierce. Hall of Famers Larry Brown and Roy Williams once coached in Lawrence.
There is no doubting that Kansas is among the most prestigious basketball programs in the country. But the Jayhawks are an afterthought as the Pac-10 attempts to add six Big 12 schools. They’re not in the conversation for the Big Ten’s expansion plans, either.
Football, and the money that comes with it, has driven the discussion of conference realignment. But the traditions, rivalries and competition in basketball will be just as affected as their football counterparts.
Kansas isn’t the only school with strong basketball ties that is twisting in the wind.
The Big Ten is looking at adding a few Big East schools. Imagine Syracuse’s vaunted 2-3 zone against the physical teams from the Midwest.
But the Big East can’t afford to lose any of the conference’s eight football programs. Would that lead to the ACC picking up the pieces and merging with whatever is left of the Big East?
I’m sure Duke’s Cameron Crazies would love to dig up material on West Virginia’s Bob Huggins or Louisville’s Rick Pitino. Not that it would take long to find the dirt.
And what would happen to basketball powerhouses Georgetown, Villanova and Marquette without football teams that compete in the Big East? Would the Hoyas be a part of the merger — igniting a twice-yearly local rivalry with Maryland?
Joining with an already giant Big East basketball conference may be too cumbersome for the ACC to handle. So would these basketball-only schools be forced out of the BCS?
There are many more questions than answers as conferences wait to see what big programs — like Texas — decide they want.
Heavy speculation and uncertainty surrounds the possibility of the birth of super conferences. But if realignment happens, college football won’t be the only sport affected.
