While the impending additions to the Big Ten and SEC are seismic changes and will have a particularly dramatic impact on college football, they will also change the basketball dynamics of those leagues. But before we look ahead to hypothetical weekend basketball games between USC and Rutgers involving five-hour cross-country flights, there are plenty of other conference moves underway that will have an impact on college basketball even sooner. With more than 350 Division I basketball programs vying for the same national title from 32 conferences — compared to just 10 championships at college football’s FBS level — changes can be hard to spot. As we turn the page from the 2021-22 hoops season to the 2022-23 campaign, you may notice a number of teams in new leagues, most of which were made official on Friday with July kicking off the 2022-23 sporting calendar. To keep things simple, here’s a rundown of the most impressive conference changes in Division I college basketball for the 2022-23 season.
1. The Ohio Valley is losing brands
The Ohio Valley Conference has been one of college basketball’s most compelling mid-major leagues for years, producing exciting conference tournaments and NCAA tournament favorites on a regular basis. However, a significant portion of the Browns basketball league is departing for the 2022-23 season as Austin Peay (Atlantic Sun), Belmont (Missouri Valley) and Murray State (Missouri Valley) prepare to join new leagues after that trio combined for to win 16 of the league’s last 17 regular-season titles. As for the teams left behind, Morehead State could be able to thrive as the Eagles have won 23 straight games while making three NCAA Tournament appearances since 2009.
2. Platoons of the II Division make the jump
Among the schools coming in to replace the departing OVC programs are a couple of Division II programs in Southern Indiana and Lindenwood. As they move to Division I, SIU and Lindenwood will go through an NCAA-mandated transition period that will keep them from NCAA Tournament eligibility until 2027. The third incoming member of the OVC is Little Rock, which from the Sun Belt. While a complete division jump may seem daunting, Bellarmine’s successful transition from Division II to the Atlantic Sun is proof that results can come early. The Knights won the ASUN Tournament last season in their second year as Division I members, but it was regular-season champion Jacksonville State that represented the league in the NCAA Tournament because of Bellarmine’s transition. The ASUN gets another Division II mover next season as Queens University joins the league. The other former Division II members moving to Division I this season are Stonehill (Northeast Conference) and Texas A&M Commerce (Southland).
3. MVC gets a shakeup
While the departure of a banner program in Loyola Chicago for the Atlantic 10 is a tough blow to the Missouri Valley, it has bounced back nicely. With Belmont and Murray State entering from the OVC, the league gains a pair of strong basketball programs with excellent coaching pedigrees and a history of competitive play in first-round NCAA Tournament games. Also participating in the MVC is Illinois-Chicago from the Horizon League. While the Flames haven’t been to the Big Dance since 2004 and have never won an NCAA Tournament game, their addition brings Missouri Valley to 12 more members.
4. Sunbelt changes
Amidst all of the 2021 football-fueled realignment that began with Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, ripple effects resulted in the Sun Belt actually getting one of the first changes. The league will have Conference USA defectors Marshall, Southern Miss and Old Dominion for the 2022-23 season and also adds James Madison from the CAA. The league lost Little Rock to the OVC and Texas-Arlington to the WAC, but it turned out just fine basketball-wise.
5. WAC is expanding
The WAC has always been eccentric and somewhat of a revolving door, and it will continue to reinforce that identity in the 2022-23 season. Southern Utah and Texas-Arlington are joined by the Big Sky and Sun Belt, respectively, for the upcoming season before Lamar, New Mexico State and Sam Houston depart the conference next year. Does the WAC always know who is on the WAC?
Changes to the 2022-23 conference
TEAMOLD CONFERENCENEW CONFERENCEAustin PeayOVCASUNBelmontOVCMVCBryantNECCAAHamptonBig SouthCAAIllinois-ChicagoHorizonMVCJames MadisonCAASun BeltLindenwoodDivision IIOVCLittle RockSun BeltOVCLoyola-ChicagoMVCAtlantic 10MarshallC-USASun BeltMonmouthMAACCAAMount Saint Mary’s NECMAACMurray StateOVCMVCNorth Carolina A&TMEACCAAOld DominionC-USASun BeltQueensDivision IIASUNSouthern IndianaDivision IIOVCSouthern MissC-USASun BeltSouthern UtahBig SkyWACStonehillDivision IINECStony BrookAmerica EastCAATexas A&M CommerceDivision IISouthlandTexas-ArlingtonSun BeltWAC
Future changes to the conference
TEAMOLD CONFERENCENEW CONFERENCEEFFECTIVE DATE BYUWCCBig 122023-24CharlotteC-USAAmerican2023-24CincinnatiAmericanBig 12 2023-24FAUC-USAAmerican2023-24HartfordAmerica EastDivision III2023-24Houston AmericanBig 122023-24Jacksonville StateASUNC-USA2023-24LamarWACSouthland2023-24LibertyASUNC-USA2023-24New Mexico StateWACC-USA2023-24North TexasC-USAAmerican2023-24RiceC -USAAmerican2023-24Sam HoustonWACC-USA2023-24UABC-USAAmerican2023-24UCFAAmericanBig 122023-24UTSAC-USAAmerican2023-24UCLAPac-12Big Ten2024-12BigOAsTe2024-12BigOcTe2024UABCTBGT
