Big East Basketball: Expansion candidates for an 11-school conference

So… what should the Big East do?

Ackerman’s mentality should be UConn or bust.

UConn is the missing puzzle piece in the current Big East landscape. Syracuse also has plenty of history within the conference, but the Orange are doing just fine in the ACC while the Huskies are flapping in the wind in the American. The Big East can’t let its brother hang out to dry, especially when UConn would liven up the regular season and send electricity coursing through the conference tournament.

Remember – the Big East is cruising along as a 10-team league right now, so there is no reason to desperately search for an 11th member unless the perfect situation arises. On the court, the Big East routinely sends over half its teams to the NCAA tournament, used incredible Villanova runs to capture two of the last three NCAA championships, and just locked up the coveted Madison Square Garden conference tournament rights through 2028. Off the court, while other conferences have to deal with schools tugging in different directions over various sports and desires, each Big East member seems to be rowing in the same direction.

The Big East also doesn’t have to worry about becoming a bloated, football-heavy league; it can remain nimble and easily adapt to the changing landscape. There is no reason to add a school for the sake of addition.

But if UConn could find a landing spot for its football program in a way that would be palatable for the Big East, then the conference should welcome the original charter members back with open arms. The Big East has thrived for six seasons in its revamped form, but the prodigal Huskies would both return the conference to its roots and send the league to new heights.