Should Gonzaga leave the WCC? 'They are set up to win 25-30 games every year'
There has long been speculation that Gonzaga will end its ties with the West Coast Conference, the mid-major league that the Zags have dominated for the last quarter century.
Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford met with Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack on multiple occasions within the last year. Despite "mutual interest" from both parties, Yormack shot down any potential for expansion in a podcast interview last week. There have also been rumblings about the Pac-12 or Big East as potential destinations.
In an anonymous poll of over 100 college basketball coaches conducted by CBS Sports' Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander, 49% of respondents said Gonzaga should remain in the WCC as opposed to waiting and realigning with the Pac-12 and/or MWC (18%), join the Big East (17%) or Big 12 (16%).
Many of the participating coaches believe Gonzaga's position as the top dog in the WCC is reason enough to stay. The Zags are 333-34 in conference regular season games under Mark Few and have won the conference tournament in nine of the past 10 seasons. Since 1997, Gonzaga has generated 64 total units for the WCC, while the nine other teams in the league have contributed a combined 47 in that same span.
Here is what some of the coaches had to say about Gonzaga:
"They are a high-major team in a mid-major league. They are set up to win 25-30 games every year and they do not have football. Moving to a conference where they will face equal/greater talent every night AND travel cross-country ... that just doesn't make sense to me. Sure, they could make some more money in a better conference, but they run the risk of becoming just 'one of the guys' instead of THE guy. Why risk it?"
"WCC is the best league for them. They've put themselves in a position, and they've earned it, because of how good they are and have been. There's a lot of concessions made for them as well. And money is a factor, but when you move to one of those other leagues, there's going to be no concessions. You've played for a national championship, you've had No. 1 seeds. Look at the (WCC) conference tournament schedule. I've seen nothing like it. To be that good and have those advantages, it's going to be hard to replicate that kind of success somewhere else."
"They know what they're dealing with and they know what they have to do every year to get their schedule accordingly to be a 1- or 2-seed. I think there's more risk, tougher league, different travel. I've dealt with a conference change and you've got a lot to get used to. The new gyms, the talent, recruiting, the referees. If it ain't broke, I don't think you need to fix it."
Given the Pac-12's instability, some coaches felt Gonzaga should leverage its basketball prowess in a move that keeps them out West but in a more competitive league.
"Gonzaga in the Mountain West would create very high-level, exciting regional games for college basketball. Gonzaga vs. San Diego State, vs. New Mexico, Boise, UNLV, etc. would be higher-profile matchups than what they currently have other than Saint Mary's."
"I know things aren't looking great for the Pac-12 overall right now, but it still would be a major step up from WCC if they can keep some of the remaining teams and then potentially add some up-and-comers that geographically fit."
An important note — responses were collected prior to Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado leaving for the Big 12 and the Big Ten adding Washington and Oregon.
Proponents of the Big East move felt that Gonzaga would "fit the mold" as a "basketball-centric" school, but travel plans would be difficult. Similarly, the Big 12's stature as arguably the best conference for college basketball would make sense in the eyes of some coaches.
"I think it's the best basketball league right now, depth-wise, and I always felt like the Pac-12 fit until UCLA and USC left. I think there are too many unknowns there, and by default, you go to the next one over. The Big 12 is so deep and competitive. [The WCC] is working in certain areas ... but I think it's like dominating the JVs and you always want to play on the varsity."
