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01-12-2007, 10:26 AM
Big 12 sets series against Pac-10
Conferences hope annual games increases national exposure
By Dave Skretta / Associated Press
January 12, 2007
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie thinks a series between the Big 12 and Pac-10 is a fantastic idea. He's jazzed about the exposure and another chance to get his up-and-coming program on national television.
He just wishes his Aggies didn't have to play at Arizona in early December.
''I'm not all that excited about the opponent they put us against,'' said Gillispie, whose No. 8 Aggies are 14-2. ''But I think it should be a lot of highly competitive games.''
The series, modeled after a similar arrangement between the ACC and the Big Ten, had been under discussion for years. The four-year deal was announced Thursday and will pit 10 teams from the Big 12 against each of the Pac-10 schools beginning in 2007.
Gillispie said the timing works out perfectly for fans. The first two games are Nov. 29, with games each day through Dec. 2. The college football season will be winding down and the college hoops season just hitting its stride.
''I'm sure they strategically put it on those dates,'' Gillispie said. ''And I'm sure they have a great television situation worked out already.''
The leagues said they will announce TV arrangements soon. An official name for the event and sponsorship details will also be announced later.
''The games will spotlight college basketball in early December and will be excellent programming for our television partners,'' said Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen. ''I commend the coaches of the two conferences for embracing the competition.''
Among the highlighted games next season are Texas at UCLA and the Aggies against Arizona. Bob Huggins and Kansas State will host Oregon, and Washington will play at Oklahoma State.
The two teams from the Big 12 that are not scheduled to play in the 10-game, four-day window - Kansas and Texas Tech - will face Pac-10 foes at other points during the season. Kansas will play Arizona on Nov. 25 and Texas Tech will play Stanford on Dec. 22. Both games will likely be at neutral sites.
''I think all the coaches are pleased,'' said Jayhawks coach Bill Self, whose Illinois teams from 2000-2003 were 1-2 against teams from the ACC. ''Being part of the ACC-Big Ten challenge was so good to all the teams involved, I think that it will certainly help our league.''
The same goes for Scott Drew and Baylor, which will play Washington State next season.
''Any time you can get national exposure and any time we can put our conference out there, we'd like to do that,'' Drew said. ''The Pac-10 has a lot of ranked teams and it should be a good thing.''
But not every coach is feeling warm and fuzzy about it.
Texas Tech coach Bob Knight, with an air of indifference, said he's willing to give the idea a chance. But he added that he isn't eager to play on the West Coast so early in the season.
''There are plenty of teams within an hour's flight that we can play in a non-conference season,'' Knight said. ''I don't know. If the people in the conference office, who I think have done a really, really good job with this league, feel it's something worthwhile, then let's try it and see.''
Several Big 12 coaches pointed to the amount of national attention that the Big 10 and ACC have gotten from their arrangement, which ESPN helped to create in 1999. The ACC has won each of the challenges, but Gillispie said both conferences have been stronger for it.
Nine teams from the two leagues have reached the Final Four since the challenge began, including National Champions Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001), Maryland (2002) and North Carolina (2005).
''It brought great exposure to the league,'' said Gillispie, who spent two years as an assistant under Self at Illinois. ''I'm sure it will be the same way.''
Texas coach Rick Barnes went so far as to say the Big 12 and Pac 10 have been slighted in recent years. The two conferences each had only four teams in last year's NCAA Tournament, the same as the Missouri Valley Conference.
''Neither one of us has gotten the recognition we deserved the last couple years,'' Barnes said. ''The notoriety that it's going to bring, I think it's going to be good for everybody.''
Conferences hope annual games increases national exposure
By Dave Skretta / Associated Press
January 12, 2007
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie thinks a series between the Big 12 and Pac-10 is a fantastic idea. He's jazzed about the exposure and another chance to get his up-and-coming program on national television.
He just wishes his Aggies didn't have to play at Arizona in early December.
''I'm not all that excited about the opponent they put us against,'' said Gillispie, whose No. 8 Aggies are 14-2. ''But I think it should be a lot of highly competitive games.''
The series, modeled after a similar arrangement between the ACC and the Big Ten, had been under discussion for years. The four-year deal was announced Thursday and will pit 10 teams from the Big 12 against each of the Pac-10 schools beginning in 2007.
Gillispie said the timing works out perfectly for fans. The first two games are Nov. 29, with games each day through Dec. 2. The college football season will be winding down and the college hoops season just hitting its stride.
''I'm sure they strategically put it on those dates,'' Gillispie said. ''And I'm sure they have a great television situation worked out already.''
The leagues said they will announce TV arrangements soon. An official name for the event and sponsorship details will also be announced later.
''The games will spotlight college basketball in early December and will be excellent programming for our television partners,'' said Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen. ''I commend the coaches of the two conferences for embracing the competition.''
Among the highlighted games next season are Texas at UCLA and the Aggies against Arizona. Bob Huggins and Kansas State will host Oregon, and Washington will play at Oklahoma State.
The two teams from the Big 12 that are not scheduled to play in the 10-game, four-day window - Kansas and Texas Tech - will face Pac-10 foes at other points during the season. Kansas will play Arizona on Nov. 25 and Texas Tech will play Stanford on Dec. 22. Both games will likely be at neutral sites.
''I think all the coaches are pleased,'' said Jayhawks coach Bill Self, whose Illinois teams from 2000-2003 were 1-2 against teams from the ACC. ''Being part of the ACC-Big Ten challenge was so good to all the teams involved, I think that it will certainly help our league.''
The same goes for Scott Drew and Baylor, which will play Washington State next season.
''Any time you can get national exposure and any time we can put our conference out there, we'd like to do that,'' Drew said. ''The Pac-10 has a lot of ranked teams and it should be a good thing.''
But not every coach is feeling warm and fuzzy about it.
Texas Tech coach Bob Knight, with an air of indifference, said he's willing to give the idea a chance. But he added that he isn't eager to play on the West Coast so early in the season.
''There are plenty of teams within an hour's flight that we can play in a non-conference season,'' Knight said. ''I don't know. If the people in the conference office, who I think have done a really, really good job with this league, feel it's something worthwhile, then let's try it and see.''
Several Big 12 coaches pointed to the amount of national attention that the Big 10 and ACC have gotten from their arrangement, which ESPN helped to create in 1999. The ACC has won each of the challenges, but Gillispie said both conferences have been stronger for it.
Nine teams from the two leagues have reached the Final Four since the challenge began, including National Champions Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001), Maryland (2002) and North Carolina (2005).
''It brought great exposure to the league,'' said Gillispie, who spent two years as an assistant under Self at Illinois. ''I'm sure it will be the same way.''
Texas coach Rick Barnes went so far as to say the Big 12 and Pac 10 have been slighted in recent years. The two conferences each had only four teams in last year's NCAA Tournament, the same as the Missouri Valley Conference.
''Neither one of us has gotten the recognition we deserved the last couple years,'' Barnes said. ''The notoriety that it's going to bring, I think it's going to be good for everybody.''