Bye Bye UMass

[stevelee]

https://dailycollegian.com/2024/02/uma ... e-in-2025/

[DC69Wildcat]

A huge step down for their basketball program. Mid-American is #20 in Massey's D1 basketball conference ratings. He ranks 8 of the 12 teams >200. A10 is #8, with 0 teams >200. SoCon is #15. Frank Martin can't be happy.

In WBB, Massey rates A10 as #9. Mid-American is #18.

[JCDC]

Who does Bernadette go after now ? C of C ?

High Point is up next.

[DC69Wildcat]

UMass message board seems to think the A10 is on its way out, and this is a good move.
https://www.umasshoops.com/newboard/vie ... 4bae1cb225

[Jay Catsby]

Have to rationalize the move somehow

[wildforthecats]

Have to rationalize the move somehow

Exactly.

[raptorcat]

Who does Bernadette go after now ? C of C ?

High Point is up next.

Bernadette won't have to reach out to High Point. Slick Nido will be hounding her and putting on the charm offensive. But if HPU were to join, I would relish the opportunity to travel five minutes to an away game. And, they would immediately have the nicest arena in the entire conference in terms of aesthetics. But most schools in the A-10 would wipe the floor with them.

[Ursa Midmajor]

Who does Bernadette go after now ? C of C ?

She might want to read “Among the Bros”, the book on drug dealing at CofC. Would make the parent of any Southern frat boy cringe, let alone the commish.

[collegecoach8502]

So it begins.

Northeastern, College of Charleston, High Point

[i77cat]

https://www.amazon.com/Among-Bros-Frate ... 0063099535

[bvgerd]

Even if it the a10 looked as though it were going to fall apart, its hard to point to the MAC as a place UMass should want to be for basketball, its not a good conference and its certainly not any closer geographically for umass. Its a football move pure and simple, and if Umass wants to focus on that its certainly better for them than being an independent no one wants to play. Its an odd time to be making decisions based on football though, the Big Ten and SEC seem to be headed inevitably towards further breaking the system and tearing apart from the rest of college sports and umass is never going to be in the group of lucky winners that goes with them.

[otherwildcat]

Even if it the a10 looked as though it were going to fall apart, its hard to point to the MAC as a place UMass should want to be for basketball, its not a good conference and its certainly not any closer geographically for umass. Its a football move pure and simple, and if Umass wants to focus on that its certainly better for them than being an independent no one wants to play. Its an odd time to be making decisions based on football though, the Big Ten and SEC seem to be headed inevitably towards further breaking the system and tearing apart from the rest of college sports and umass is never going to be in the group of lucky winners that goes with them.

Agrre on all points.
The closest rival in the MAC is Buffalo?
UMass once part of the Yankee Conference, then the old Eastern Eight. The A10 is fine.

[collegecoach8502]

Even if it the a10 looked as though it were going to fall apart, its hard to point to the MAC as a place UMass should want to be for basketball, its not a good conference and its certainly not any closer geographically for umass. Its a football move pure and simple, and if Umass wants to focus on that its certainly better for them than being an independent no one wants to play. Its an odd time to be making decisions based on football though, the Big Ten and SEC seem to be headed inevitably towards further breaking the system and tearing apart from the rest of college sports and umass is never going to be in the group of lucky winners that goes with them.

Agrre on all points.
The closest rival in the MAC is Buffalo?
UMass once part of the Yankee Conference, then the old Eastern Eight. The A10 is fine.

UMass has been committed to making a move for football for a while now. It was a matter of time. They wanted something bigger than the MAC, but it's the best football conference that would take them. It's been pretty well known that they were going to jump, it was just a matter of when...now we know.

[DC69Wildcat]

Gary Parrish with nothing but bad things to say about the UMass jump on Inside College Basketball pregame show. He thinks it's a terrible move for the basketball program, pointing out the huge difference in conference NET.

[graveline]

Umass has stunk since we joined the A10, but at least they were “good in my lifetime” as opposed to the Bonnies talking about the bob lanier years