Big East Basketball: Top 5 potential additions to join UConn in the league

By Joey Loose | Jun 27, 2019

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 15: Dyshawn Pierre #21 of the Dayton Flyers defends against Treveon Graham #21 of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams during the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament - Championship game at Barclays Center on March 15, 2015 in New York, New York. Virginia Commonwealth Rams defeated Dayton Flyers 71-65. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

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HOUSTON, TX – APRIL 02: Bradford Burgess #20 and Darius Theus #10 of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams look on against the Butler Bulldogs during the National Semifinal game of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship at Reliant Stadium on April 2, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

4. VCU

While members of the CAA, the Shaka Smart-led Rams made the Final Four as an 11-seed in 2011. They built on that success, moving to the A10 and continuing to win games even as new head coaches emerged. They (along with Dayton) are one of the best programs currently in the A10. Their location in Virginia seems perfect for the Big East, plus there have been a number of rumors and rumblings connecting the two in recent memory.

VCU is a public university, which doesn’t exactly fit in with the Big East model. On the other hand, they do have impressive facilities and are a school that puts basketball first. They’ve been able to build on their surprise Final Four run (unlike George Mason) and they would bring even more Big East excitement to the region.

The recent success at VCU has almost certainly made them a moving cog in the next wave of conference realignment. In all likelihood, this basketball powerhouse is heading to either the AAC or the Big East, though they may not be the most sensible addition from the A10 right now. They have one of the most talented programs, but will the Big East want to add a public school?

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