Big 12 Basketball: Is Tulane a factor in expansion process?

The Tulane Green Wave are a massive long shot for Big 12 basketball expansion, but don’t out the New Orleans program.

Nobody is giving Tulane much of a chance to earn a spot in the Big 12. They are among the smallest of the applying schools and have had very little athletic success in recent years.

Why then, do the Green Wave feel the need to throw their hat into the ring?

The university (13,000 plus students) is located in New Orleans. NOLA is a major U.S. city and media market. It also almost fits perfectly in the Big 12’s current geographical profile. Planting the Big 12 flag in America’s biggest party town (aside from Vegas) is nothing to sneeze at.

Fellow contenders Houston or Memphis would be natural fits and would help create new rivalries with Tulane. This is especially important if the conference sticks close to its Texas base and leaves West Virginia on an island.

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In the classroom, Tulane is at least the equal of Texas or Kansas, if not superior to them. They rank in the top tier of almost every university ranking. Their membership among the American Association of Universities would also help rebuild an academic reputation that was gutted when the Big 12 lost four of its founding members. Tulane would be to the Big 12 what Rutgers was in joining the Big Ten.

Tulane currently competes in the American Athletic Conference against many of their rivals for expansion. Basketball-wise there isn’t much to talk about. They fired coach Ed Conroy after the 2016 season and hired former NBA coach Mike Dunleavy Sr.

Dunleavy inherits a team that just finished last in conference play and lost three of its top five scorers. He has nowhere to go but up.

Personally, I’d like to see what a 17-year pro veteran could do in the college ranks against the likes of Bill Self and other Big 12 coaching personalities.

One added wrinkle is the relationship between Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Tulane Athletic Director Troy Dannen; both are Northern Iowa alumni.

Sadly, I highly doubt the Green Wave will be Big 12 members in the near future. They are small and their teams are not all that notable. They live a top media market, but how do they factor in with other professional teams taking the reins?

Athletically, AD Dannen appears to have the program looking forward and I doubt Tulane would commit any major NCAA violations. They can argue their academics offset any competitive dilution.

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Because of the size disparity with most of the current members, Tulane could very well be the perfect school-focused neighbor the Big 12 needs. Just don’t count on it right now.

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