Wichita St coming to AAC?

[Lobot]

Key wording in this article "no significant exit fee"

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...f2ab8b7b4.html

[longtimefan]

SI now saying they could join the AAC in the next two weeks.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-bas...c156ksbkx4arev

[Lobot]

I can see the arrangement being made now but I'm guessing they officially enter the league on July 1. I'm basing this on academics fiscal year.

[red_n_black_attack]

WooHoo!! The Shockers are a welcome addition to the AAC. It's hard to believe that team had to win their conference tournament just to get into the Tourney. We face nearly the same thing in the AAC and having more competitive teams means increase SOS and RPI opportunities.

[RedDog]

What depths have we dipped to when we are excited about Wichita joining our conference? Right now, it enhances basketball but nothing else. It does nothing to strengthen our position for P5 status or our basketball seeding. It DOES help their position. I think its a yawner.

[blackattack]

What depths have we dipped to when we are excited about Wichita joining our conference? Right now, it enhances basketball but nothing else. It does nothing to strengthen our position for P5 status or our basketball seeding. It DOES help their position. I think its a yawner.

My sentiments exactly. It's a non-event in my mind. In fact, adding Wichita could conceivably hurt the NCAA tourney chances of the existing AAC members, i.e. realistically you have to think the NCAA selection committee probably has our conference "capped" at 3 or 4 bids.......if Wichita remains a very strong tourney candidate for the foreseeable future, then that is one less spot available to the rest of the league teams.
For example, if next year UCF, UConn, SMU, Wichita State, and UC are all strong teams does anyone really think the AAC is getting 5 teams in to the NCAA tourney?

[coach]

Yes, i do. However you are bypassing the facts behind a "strong" team. That means you have to take care of business in the out of conference as well as in conference and most of our league did not do that this year. That's why the Uconns, Memphis's and Temple's of the world didn't have a chance. As we saw with the early exit of most of the new big east, those last spots are definitely still in play, but you have to beat some folks in out of conference.

[Lobot]

@JonRothstein Members of the American Athletic Conference are preparing for Wichita State to join the league for the 2017-18 season, per a source.

[Cincatz13]

Wow!! A yawner, not excited, etc. You've got to be kidding me? We are adding a team who will be a preseason top 5 pick and will guarantee a home and home with said team. How can you not be excited over this? Wichita has been one of the most winningest programs of the last 5 years in all of college basketball. Everyone complains about non conference SOS and it continued this year. We scheduled a good non conference slate, but some teams had down years which cost us big time. Now we are adding a guarantee RPI, SOS, and and top 25 school and you are all complaining and not excited. I love this addition and it will only help the team. Playing in conference cupcakes does nothing to prepare you for the tournament, and quite frankly, if you can't beat Uconn, SMU, WSU, or UCF in conference you have no business being int he Big Dance!

Great job AAC and way to add a terrific basketball program!

[RedDog]

They pursued us, not the other way around. Why? Because Wichita has MUCH more to gain from AAC affiliation than we do. Yes its a nice addition of a good quality opponent, at least it has been under Marshalls leadership, and that's a good thing, but could have also been accomplished with 1 more decent OOC opponent. I really just see it having minimal impact in basketball and no impact anywhere else. Its a big win for them and a little win for us.

[Bearcatdave72]

I don't know how you can see this as anything but positive. The move to a P5 conference is most likely never going to happen. The best chance to stay relevant in all sports is through adding name recognition to the current league. This accomplishes exactly that. If UConn gets back to their normal status that gives the league 4 very relevant programs at the top and helps to pull the teams like Memphis, Houston, UCF, etc. up with them. Now to address the football side as well. Add a couple more relevant MAC or Mountain West teams to form a West and East. Make yourself impossible to cast aside.

[swilsonsp4]

They pursued us, not the other way around. Why? Because Wichita has MUCH more to gain from AAC affiliation than we do. Yes its a nice addition of a good quality opponent, at least it has been under Marshalls leadership, and that's a good thing, but could have also been accomplished with 1 more decent OOC opponent. I really just see it having minimal impact in basketball and no impact anywhere else. Its a big win for them and a little win for us.

It doesn't really matter as to who approached whom. If both parties benefit, great, even if one party receives greater benefit. We're not passing out cookies to the children and have to make sure no one gets more than the others.

As far as OOC scheduling is concerned, adding WSU doesn't preclude UC from seeking the best available opponents. Of course, that is largely determined by the TV networks, but not entirely. Add WSU and try to convince Gonzaga and ESPN/CBS to make it happen.

[coach]

Given this year's seeding, it's interesting to see Lunardi has Wichita St. as a 3 seed next year in his first prediction. LOL So much for the AAC being such a bad conference.

[Lobot]

Local report based on Rothstein story this morning says it's done.

http://www.kake.com/story/35069813/s...ter_KAKEsports

[longtimefan]

The AAC votes Friday whether to admit them, needs 9 votes to allow.

http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=2...047298523160-4