Connecticut has always been an odd fit in the American Athletic Conference, one of the two conferences that emerged from the ashes of the old Big East.
Forced into an all-sports marriage with unfamiliar schools such as Houston, Memphis, Tulane and Southern Methodist because of football, the Huskies resorted to forced rivalries with teams no one on that campus cares about while trying to pick up the slack with nonconference games against former Big East foes Syracuse and Georgetown in men’s basketball.
But now comes word that UConn is trying to fix that, with FanRag’s John Rothstein and longtime college basketball analyst Adam Zagoria reporting that the school has had discussions with the new Big East — the 10 schools that don’t play major college football and banded together after the old Big East’s demise — about joining the conference and renewing permanent basketball rivalries with such former conference-mates as Villanova, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Providence and St. John’s.
There’s one large sticking point, however: Connecticut has FBS football and the rest of the new Big East does not. The Huskies would have to find a place to play, and it’s unknown whether the AAC would let them stay as a football-only member.
"The Big East would take UConn in everything, but they need to resolve what they’re going to do with football," Rothstein’s source told him. "That’s the only thing that’s standing in the way of a marriage."
The Big East denied that any talks have taken place, however.
"Our comment is that there have been no discussions," conference media relations director John Paquette told the Hartford Courant. "That’s all we are going to say about it. Nothing is new. We’ve been down this path before (with rumors). We realize it’s going to be talked about."
Bored by UConn women’s dominance? You must not like basketball Sally Jenkins
You don’t know what to do with yourself, do you? Spring training isn’t here yet, and who cares about Tom Brady’s missing Super Bowl jersey, and golfers are still limbering up, and the NBA won’t be decided until June. That leaves college basketball, which is sort of a mess with everyone but Gonzaga…
You don’t know what to do with yourself, do you? Spring training isn’t here yet, and who cares about Tom Brady’s missing Super Bowl jersey, and golfers are still limbering up, and the NBA won’t be decided until June. That leaves college basketball, which is sort of a mess with everyone but Gonzaga…
(Sally Jenkins)
UConn athletic director David Benedict also told the Courant in a statement that "there is no truth to the rumors and reports that UConn has had discussions with the Big East Conference for possible membership."
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