A win/win for Zags, Pac-12

Good morning. And welcome to another day of conference realignment news. Let’s dive in.

1. Gonzaga cements its future with move to Pac-12

The new-look Pac-12 was built around football. But Tuesday it made a bold move into a basketball-specific expansion.

After years of reported dalliances with the Big East and Big 12, Gonzaga’s staying out west as the newest member of the Pac-12, starting in 2026. And this was no impetus move, either. It’ll join the league as a member with full financial shares, even without a football program.

This was a move that benefits Gonzaga’s future — it reportedly could make $10 million annually as part of the move, roughly double its current WCC arrangement — and certainly bolsters the Pac-12 as the best basketball league outside of the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC.

The new Pac-12 doesn’t have UCLA or Arizona, it doesn’t rivalries like Oregon State Vs. Oregon or the Apple Cup. But is the league a better basketball league? I think so.

Adding Gonzaga represents the a “blue blood.” It haven’t won a national title yet, but has appeared in two NCAA Tournament title games, has reached the last nine Sweet 16s, and has gone an astounding 286-44 over the last five years. That type of success is should elevate the rest of the conference.

Gonzaga is the clear top dog. But it won’t be alone. San Diego State finished top 30 in KenPom in FIVE consecutive years. Arizona is the only former Pac-12 program that can match that. Perhaps the overall upside isn’t as high without the likes of Oregon, USC or UCLA, but this is a solid league with tournament regulars Boise State and Utah State, and Pac-12 holdovers Oregon State and Washington State.

It’s a win/win for both parties, as Jeff Goodman notes.

Former Gonzaga players applauded the move. A couple expressed concern about leaving the WCC, which gave the Zags a sweetheart deal over the last few years, but admit this is a baller move for the future.

“A lot of really good teams that have made deep runs and it’s going to be a higher standard for the entire year instead of having a really good nonconference schedule and then the conference schedule,” Corey Kispert told the Spokesman-Review. “Our conference was good when I was on team, but there were stretches in January and February where you were in the middle of the conference season, and you watch games on TV of other good teams around the country playing high-level, ranked games and you missed out on that competitive edge and all the benefits that brings.”

2. Big Ten drops its preseason all-league team

The Big Ten released its preseason All-Big Ten teams on Tuesday. There were absolutely, positively no complaints about this.

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