The Big Ten should feel pretty positive about the basketball contributions from the Pac-12 newcomers in Year 1:
Just about all (meaningful) college athletics realignment revolves around football, where the dollars are greatest and the decisions have the most weight. That is certainly true for the Big Ten’s most recent acquisitions, as the former Pac-12 members helped strengthen the top half of the conference through a combination of historic and modern success.
However, the conference’s second-biggest sport is basketball, and these programs helped move the needle on the hardwood as well. While UCLA football and Washington basketball are not at the top of tv producers’ wish lists, the overall addition of this quartet was a success in the Big Ten’s two key areas of play. With the basketball season completed, it feels appropriate to look back at what they accomplished.
A solid debut
It makes sense to start with the lone blue blood, the UCLA Bruins. After a rude welcoming to conference play (2-4) the Bruins finished strong with a 13-7 Big Ten record and earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, losing to No. 2 Tennessee in the Second Round. Mick Cronin is not super likable, but his team is a great addition to the conference.
The Oregon Ducks had their best season since Covid, earning a No. 5 seed after finishing 24-9, then losing to No. 4 Arizona. A top-30 KenPom squad, the Ducks were one of the streakiest teams in the conference, losing five straight then winning seven in a row to close out the regular season. Like in football, Oregon has had some basketball success but is still looking to get over the hump; joining the Big Ten might be that final piece.
The other two schools were a little disappointing, but still were justified additions. The USC Trojans just made it into the Big Ten Tournament , really struggling down the stretch. Meanwhile, the Washington Huskies finished dead last, which is unfortunately not too different from its fate for most of the 2020s. Both programs will need to make some investments this offseason, but should have the opportunity to do so in this conference.
Greater than the sum
While the Big Ten would love for UCLA or Oregon to win a national championship in upcoming seasons, the biggest benefit is the added depth these newcomers bring. UCLA (NET 27th) and Oregon (29th) provided plenty of Quad 1 opportunities for other conference members, while USC (70th) was on the Quad 1/Quad 2 line depending on the situation.
Aside from the actual performances themselves, the addition of these West Coast schools also brought a few other changes to the conference, which I found positive. I know Peacock is not loved by all, but the Big Ten essentially had a game every single day of the week starting in January. More games — and more good games — means the conference always had something to watch, including a bunch of games on big FOX and CBS.
There were also new travel plans for basketball, which were hated by people like Cronin, but something I thought went smoothly. Michigan’s famous trip to Los Angeles was extremely fruitful, but just in general it feels beneficial for the conference to be a little more strategic about scheduling. Three double-plays is limiting, but it makes the single-plays feel more meaningful at the same time (ex: winning the lone game against Wisconsin early on).
Finally, the Big Ten Tournament now has a cutoff, which might feel against the spirit of conference tournaments, but gives bottom teams something meaningful to play for towards the end of the year. Just one game separated 12th and 17th place, and surely this will be something seen in future seasons as well. Anything that gives teams extra motivation is a good thing, especially for those without real NCAA Tournament hopes.
Twice as nice
These four schools had varying levels of success in men’s basketball (and football), but the story was even bigger in women’s basketball. While Oregon and Washington finished in the middle of the pack, USC and UCLA finished at the very top of the conference in their debut. Fittingly, they met in the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game as well, with UCLA earning the trophy.
All four newcomers made the NCAA Tournament, with the Bruins getting to the Final Four. The Trojans probably would have been there as well, but Naismith Winner JuJu Watkins unfortunately went down in the Second Round, leading to an eventual exit in the Elite Eight. Still, it was an undeniable success for the Pac-12 defectors in women’s basketball, and a strong enough effort on the men’s side too, giving plenty of optimism for their continued contributions in the conference.