Gonzaga's Dalliance with Big 12 Bad News for Arkansas

It might not seem like it at first glance, but such a move would create problems for Razorbacks

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Nov 3, 2022 10:28 PM EDT
Original:
Nov 3, 2022

In this story:

FRISCO, Texas – Just a few days ago, Gonzaga popped into the Far North Dallas suburb of Frisco.

While they may have driven past The Star, took a peak into the FC Dallas stadium, passed a few hours away at the National Video Game Museum and possibly chomped down a few brisket quesadillas at Blue Goose, the Bulldogs were in town for the same reason so many from the West Coast drop by – to find a new home.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Gonzaga athletics director Chris Standiford took time to cozy up at the local Hyatt while the Zags were in the area for a scrimmage against Tennessee.

Since that meeting, social media has decided to shockingly [please note the sarcasm] become offended and then respond with insults toward Gonzaga about how they would never be Gonzaga again if they were arrogant enough to dare the dark waters of Big 12 basketball.

Of course Arkansas fans have seen up close the legitimacy of the Bulldogs' program. The Razorbacks completed the near impossible task of keeping Gonzaga out of the NCAA championship game – which the Bulldogs have been in two of the past five – with a 74-68 win in last year's Sweet 16.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) hugs Arkansas Razorbacks forward Jaylin Williams (10) after the game in the semifinals of the West regional of the men's college basketball NCAA Tournament at Chase Center. The Arkansas Razorbacks won 74-68. — Gonzaga's Drew Timme shows respect to Arkansas forward Jaylin Williams after the Razorbacks upset the Bulldogs in the Sweet 16.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

That's probably why West Virginia coach Bob Huggins was doing his best to dissuade Gonzaga from joining the Big 12 Thursday. The last thing he needs is a 4,600 mile round trip and another national power on his schedule.

"To get in this league and play who we play day-after-day, I would think it would be a tremendous awakening," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins told reporters Thursday. "You don't get to make your own schedule in the Big 12."

While it would make for fun games to watch when the SEC elite aren't playing one another, this isn't a good thing for Arkansas.

First off is the obvious negative. Everyone knows when the Big 12-SEC Challenge rolls around, the decision makers will send Gonzaga to Kentucky when it's time for the Bulldogs to go on the road because of the aesthetic of Gonzaga rolling into Rupp.

However, when it's time for Gonzaga to host an SEC team, it's an easy bet that Arkansas will be shipped to Spokane for a potential revenge game.

The other, less obvious issue is recruiting. That's about to get tougher.

While the move to the SEC might actually hurt Texas in recruiting from a basketball standpoint, adding Houston and Gonzaga to the Big 12-SEC recruiting dynamic in North Texas that already features Kansas, Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky makes Razorback coach Eric Musselman's job landing big fish significantly more difficult.

While the more natural fit is the Pac-12, which reportedly also courted Gonzaga at one point, Bulldogs' coach Mark Few is a national recruiter. Only half of the Gonzaga roster is from the west and that isn't going to go down because the Bulldogs moved from the West Coast Conference to the much more prominent Big 12.

While trading St. Mary's for Kansas isn't going to cause Gonzaga to lose a California kid, it very well could cause Arkansas to lose a Texas kid.

The Hogs just became a hot bed for 5-star basketball players. However, if Few starts knocking on more Texas high school doors with the promise of playing for a highly respected national program with numerous games within easy driving distance, it stands to reason that Arkansas might lose elite talent it wouldn't if Gonzaga weren't hanging around.

Gonzaga to the Big 12 might be the best news college basketball has received in a long time.

It just might not be good news for Arkansas.