Atlantic 10 - The next Power basketball conference?

[Rudi]

This would be so incredibly awesome.

SOURCE

Temple’s decision to bolt to the Big East has been a blow for the Atlantic 10, but the league looks as if it could emerge from that setback stronger than ever.

Butler is contemplating a move to the A-10, according to multiple media outlets, and CBSSports.com reported this week that VCU and George Mason also are in discussions about joining the conference.

The addition of those three would be a boon for A-10 basketball. They’ve combined for four trips to the Final Four since 2006. That’s more than the ACC (three), Pac-12 (three) and Big 12 (two) in that span and as many as the Big Ten has produced. Only the Big East (six) and SEC (five) have had more.

They also have nationally recognized coaches — Brad Stevens at Butler, Shaka Smart at VCU and Paul Hewitt at George Mason — and enough name power to attract more TV coverage when you combine them with Xavier (four Sweet 16 trips in the last five years), Dayton (five straight postseason appearances), Saint Louis (won an NCAA tourney game this year) and Richmond (a Sweet 16 participant last season).

The A-10 is expected to eventually lose UMass, which is becoming an FBS football school and likely will be looking for a better fit. Charlotte also is starting a football program and reportedly is on the verge of moving to the Sun Belt Conference.

VCU and George Mason have issued statements vehemently denying they plan to leave the Colonial Athletic Association, while Butler officials have been quiet. Read what you will into that. But the move would make sense for all three schools.

The CAA has had only four NCAA at-large berths since 2000, while the Horizon League hasn’t had any outside of the three claimed by Butler. The A-10 had three this season alone, two in each of the four years before that and 20 since 2000.

Drexel captured the CAA regular-season crown this year, won 19 straight games and reached the league tourney final before falling to VCU. But the Dragons were relegated to the NIT, making the CAA a one-bid league.

That had to open some eyes at VCU and George Mason. In the A-10, a season like that not only is rewarded with an NCAA berth, but also a high seed.

 

[spiker]

I thought Butler had already confirmed that they are joining in the 13-14 season.

 

[Rudi]

I believe the Butler move is all but complete, but this is the first I've heard of VCU and George Mason potentially making the jump to.That Final 4 stat is pretty crazy too.

 

[Sportsbuck]

This might explain why Brad Stevens is turning down so many jobs.

If he keeps it up, he may eventually get them to a power conference.