Mid-Major Basketball Coverage

Jeff Hartsell of The Post and Courier talks with Southern Conference commissioner John Iamarino about the recent rumors that the Southern Conference is ripe for the picking. Not so fast though. Iamarino said that the Southern Conference could expend beyond 12 teams in order to make itself stronger against poachers. Still a lot to happen in this battle to stay relevant as a conference and not become the WAC of the east.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the decision to not allow Georgia State to play in Colonial Championship events as a team could have the Panthers leaving for the Sun Belt early. The move would be for all sports except football, where the schedules have been completed. Other schedules have been finished but not released.

Boston University has accepted an invitation to join the Patriot League starting with the 2013-14 school year. The Terriers, who were reportedly being courted by several conferences, including the Colonial Athletic Association, will be just the latest school to run from the America East conference. With this move, it looks more likely that the school targeted for football expansion in the north by the CAA is Stony Brook, another America East school. Invitations have been sent to several schools to join the CAA with announcements expected soon.

The Presidents have met and the Presidents are still undecided. That is the word out of the CAA on whether schools leaving the conference after next season will be eligible to compete in the conference tournament. Old Dominion is headed to Conference USA, and Georgia State will take off for the Sun Belt following the 2012-13 season. Under the conference by-laws, both would be ineligible for the basketball tournament. That would leave the conference with just seven schools participating because of academic issues at Towson and UNC-Wilmington. Both departing schools have petitioned to still be included in the postseason tournament. The restriction against participation was a factor in Virginia Commonwealth departing for the Atlantic 10 immediately. The Presidents also voted to increase the penalty for leaving to $1 million.