Xavier AD says expanding to 12 schools within 5 years

[TheHall]

Picks 11 & 12 will tell if this institutional fit standard means as much too Fox & the prezs as they've claimed so far. I think it might have just been the line to get through adding butler, creighton & X. Money talks.

[Pretzel]

5 NCAA Appearances in last 10 years including 1 Final Four.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... team1/7778

It's actually 6 in the last 10 years (they aren't showing 2013) under 3 different coaches (two not named Shaka). 1 of only 8 teams to win a game in the last 3 tournaments and the 5th longest home sellout streak in the nation. But yeah, let's just keep calling them a one trick pony. The only thing VCU doesn't have going for them is that they are not private which is ultimately why they may or may not be left out.

[yorost]

5 NCAA Appearances in last 10 years including 1 Final Four.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... team1/7778

It's actually 6 in the last 10 years (they aren't showing 2013) under 3 different coaches (two not named Shaka). 1 of only 8 teams to win a game in the last 3 tournaments and the 5th longest home sellout streak in the nation. But yeah, let's just keep calling them a one trick pony. The only thing VCU doesn't have going for them is that they are not private which is ultimately why they may or may not be left out.

Whoa, now, how many Sweet 16 appearances do they have? That's just a fact, not a complete resume on VCU's program.

I also don't think public is the #1 thing against them, and I do think it is concern of long term merit. If they were going to pull the trigger on #11 and #12 this year, I'd want VCU, but that doesn't mean there can't be concerns or arguments against them. They look poised to stay, but that's hard to tell, another Sweet 16 or a couple more consecutive bids would help make them look more grounded as a program.

On the institutional front, I see VCU as a much closer fit than Richmond. Richmond would be one of the top schools in the conference, but there's a reason they get classified different in Carnegie and in various rankings. It's nothing bad, relax Richmond fans, it just relates to how graduate programs factor into universities.

[districtballer]

Am I missing something, why would we pass on VCU? They are the best in the A-10 for the foreseeable future.

I think SLU would disagree. VCU isn't the power in the making many are claiming it is. ONE, count 'em, ONE second weekend tourney appearance.

just one huh?
you need to do some homework

No, he's right. VCU's only made it to the second weekend once in 2011. VCU's only been playing basketball for 45 years however ( started 1968).

Richmond has been twice (1988 and 2011). UR has played 100 years (started 1913).
SLU has been twice (1952 and 1957). SLU has played 99 years (started 1914).
Dayton has been 5 times (1952, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1984). UD has played 110 years (started 1903)

None of these schools are powerhouses historically. Not even close. Dayton was as close as you get and that was almost 50 years ago when they were in their hey day. VCU is a lot younger, very different in profile, but probably has the most national buzz and recent success of the 4 due to Shaka Smart and the publicity garnered by recent Final Four run. It's also easy to dismiss the success since much of it was in a mid-major league (CAA).

That on its own isn't what a conference has to base its decision on. Institutional profile, fan base, facilities, budgets all factor in.

VCU will likely have a greater burden of proof to overcome reservations about our profile as a young, large, public institution with average academics overall. There's nothing wrong with that. The Big East Presidents can choose and evaluate schools however they like.

[marquette]

I like VCU, but let's not pretend they are some basketball powerhouse that's guaranteed to be a major player for decades to come. They have performed well the last decade, but they still have the same number of sweet 16's in that span as UW-Milwaukee (I say this not to equate the two, I know they're not even close to the same level. Just trying to make a point). If VCU got added I wouldn't complain, They have been the best basketball school in the prospective schools recently, but let's not pretend they are an elite school just yet.

[districtballer]

I like VCU, but let's not pretend they are some basketball powerhouse that's guaranteed to be a major player for decades to come. They have performed well the last decade, but they still have the same number of sweet 16's in that span as UW-Milwaukee (I say this not to equate the two, I know they're not even close to the same level. Just trying to make a point). If VCU got added I wouldn't complain, They have been the best basketball school in the prospective schools recently, but let's not pretend they are an elite school just yet.

I'm a VCU fan, and this is completely reasonable to me.

We're nowhere close to elite. I'd take the position that we're trending upwards with a lot of current buzz around the program and that's about as far as I'd go.

I wouldn't classify any of these candidate schools as elite anyway. Maybe some schools separate themselves in the next couple of years and maybe that's what the Big East is looking for.

[aughnanure]

5 NCAA Appearances in last 10 years including 1 Final Four.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... team1/7778

It's actually 6 in the last 10 years (they aren't showing 2013) under 3 different coaches (two not named Shaka). 1 of only 8 teams to win a game in the last 3 tournaments and the 5th longest home sellout streak in the nation. But yeah, let's just keep calling them a one trick pony. The only thing VCU doesn't have going for them is that they are not private which is ultimately why they may or may not be left out.

Am I supposed to be impressed by one berth every other year from a crappy conference?

[districtballer]

5 NCAA Appearances in last 10 years including 1 Final Four.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... team1/7778

It's actually 6 in the last 10 years (they aren't showing 2013) under 3 different coaches (two not named Shaka). 1 of only 8 teams to win a game in the last 3 tournaments and the 5th longest home sellout streak in the nation. But yeah, let's just keep calling them a one trick pony. The only thing VCU doesn't have going for them is that they are not private which is ultimately why they may or may not be left out.

Am I supposed to be impressed one berth every other year from a crappy conference?

Well one of those years we did happen to finish 2nd in a 5-bid conference and got a 5-seed, it wasn't all in the CAA.

We did also manage to beat Duke and take Pitt to OT in 2007. We put out top 20 NBA draft picks in consecutive years in 2009 and 2010 from that crappy conference. We went to the Final Four in 2011 in a year that the league got 3 bids. We then beat a 5-seed in 2012 after losing our top 4 scorers from that team. It was no world-beater and it certainly was no Big East, but we competed and beat some bigger programs in our time there as well.

[Coasterville95]

Well, our brand new AD said "I don't think I'm saying anything that isn't already out there"

Expansion to 12 within 5 years and the pool of candidates from St Louis, VCU, Richmond, and that directional school up I-75 have been pretty much rumored by everybody even earlier than the Big East split.

Our new AD is coming out early as a Fan;s AD. I;m hoping we have a second season ticket holders night the way we did last year. (A night for season ticket holders where we got all access tours of our arena including media room, training room, weight room, team locker room, athletics office, and shooting free throws on the court., Followed by a Q&A with out past AD and our Coaches) Not only that but the swag bag on the way into the season pass holder night was nice as well. Free copy of Xavier Tales (sort of a history of our program) which sells for $20 in thee team spirit store.

(I won't mention that more than a few of our fans were gleeful that we apparently don't have that directional school up north for 2 seasons, how lucky can we get:)

[GumbyDamnit!]

If Richmond is the best institutional and geographic fit, and I were King of the Conference for a day I would have a back room sit down with them. First I would tell them that we will consider them (and another school--most likely SLU) for admission in 2017 if they show a TRUE commitment to their hoops program.

Whisper in their ear that you'd like to see the following happen:
1. Hire a BIG time known coach who has a serious track record and can flat out recruit. Maybe a Ben Howland or see if a Bruce Pearl could come back behind the bench (with some contract stipulations). Could they lure Shaka away from VCU with a huge contract? Budget what a huge state school would pay their staff and top it if you have to.
2. Upgrade all facilities if needed and get butts in the seats. Generate some buzz around their progtram in and around Richmond. Market the crap out of the Richmond area with banners and events--whatever. Own central / southern VA. Do whatever you have to, in order to become the premier program in your own market.
3. Invest in your program. Hire great assitants that are tied into the AAU circuits, get them out on the road early and often and get in great players. With a few talented classes, Richmond could be a rising power.
4. Tap the shoulders of your alums and appeal to them to support he program at any/all costs so they can make the move to big time college athletics.

In 4 years they should be able to turn things around quickly. Just look how Providence and SJU have done turning their programs around in the same amount of time. Make this an incentive, and explain that you'd prefer to go with them but will bring in VCU if they can't turn things around quickly. Richmond has got the $ to pull it off. Their endowment is ridicuously large. They have alums that can help.