NCAA Basketball: Reimagining the Conferences - Readjustment, not Realignment

TIER 3: BEST MID-MAJORS

Atlantic Ten: Vermont, UMass, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, Temple, Saint Joseph's, Duquesne, George Mason, George Washington, James Madison, VCU, Richmond

The midwest trio and Davidson are off to more geographically appropriate homes, Fordham and La Salle drop down a tier. Great job by Duquesne to renovate their arena and then win an NCAA Tournament game to stay up. In come an old friend (Temple), a longtime dominant winner (Vermont) and an athletic department that is quickly on the rise (James Madison).

Missouri Valley: Akron, Kent State, Toledo, Ohio, Indiana State, Illinois State, Bradley, Southern Illinois, Drake, Northern Iowa, Missouri State

Belmont and Murray State head back south, and from there it's a simple swap. Out goes the flotsam at the bottom (Evansville, UIC, Valparaiso), in comes the Ohio core of the MAC, now unencumbered by football membership (Akron, Kent State, Toledo, Ohio). Arch Madness had to be kept alive.

Southern Conference: Appalachian State, Davidson, Winthrop, Charlotte, Wofford, Furman, Chattanooga, College of Charleston, Florida Atlantic, Central Florida, South Florida

The one hundred and three year old conference undergoes another dramatic reshaping. Florida Atlantic and UCF earned Tier 2 status in the last decade but didn't have the proper southeastern partners, so they team up with the best small basketball schools in the Carolinas.

Sun Belt: Western Kentucky, Murray State, Belmont, UAB, Samford, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, McNesse State, Tulsa, North Texas, Stephen F Austin

An interesting combination of successful programs in a rut (Belmont, Murray State, Western Kentucky), formerly strong programs (Tulsa, Tulane) and programs on the rise (McNeese State, North Texas, UAB).

West Coast Conference: San Francisco, Cal State Fullerton, Pacific, San Jose State, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, Santa Clara, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Long Beach State, San Diego, Hawaii

Basically the best of the Big West (including its concept of being all California schools plus a home for Hawaii), meets the top remaining WCC schools and the kicked out Mountain West schools. Will produce a very dangerous 13 seed every single year.