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

By Joey Loose

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)
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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DAYTON, OH – NOVEMBER 30: Josh Cunningham #0 of the Dayton Flyers battles for a loose ball against Aric Holman #35 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second half of the game at UD Arena on November 30, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. The Bulldogs won 65-58. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
DAYTON, OH – NOVEMBER 30: Josh Cunningham #0 of the Dayton Flyers battles for a loose ball against Aric Holman #35 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second half of the game at UD Arena on November 30, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. The Bulldogs won 65-58. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

2. Dayton

Right off the bat, there are a number of reasons why Dayton would be a fantastic choice for the Big East. First, their football team plays at the FCS level, so there’s no concern there. The basketball program has been really successful, especially for an A10 team. The university is located right in the footprint of the Big East and already have a regional rivalry with Xavier.

The Flyers were seemingly passed over for the Big East when it initially reformed back in 2013, though they fit the new model quite well. They’re a private school with a solid basketball program. They fill their arena and have a ton of excitement in the region. If the Big East does expand, Dayton has a lot to offer the league.

However, have things changed enough in the last six years to warrant the move? It’s true that the A10 has taken a slight step down with Butler, Temple, and Xavier out of the league, but Dayton has taken advantage of their absence. Whether the Musketeers would want their regional rivalry rebirthed is another concern.

If the Big East is looking at geography and basketball talent, then Dayton makes a lot of sense. They aren’t a mid-major that’s come out of nowhere and have already shown their sustained success. 52 years ago the Flyers made the national title game; could they build this kind of team with Big East level of recruiting?

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