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Message: [QUOTE="UConnJim, post: 3434864, member: 1559"] Two things the tweet writer wouldn't have known at the time was James Wiseman, the probable first draft pick in the NBA draft, would not play the season and UConn would announce they were leaving for the Big East. And, last year, the top 10 teams in the American were rated by Ken Pom about the same as the top 10 schools in the Big East: Big East average rating of top 10 = 70.0 (30, 33, 55, 60, 65, 72, 79, 88, 100, 118) American average rating of the top 10 = 68.9 (12, 29, 34, 56, 66, 69, 98, 99, 107, 119) The problem the American has is with the bottom two teams, typically ECU and Tulane. Last year, they were rated 264 and 283. That is a killer for strength of schedule. Also, on paper, the American had a better 2019 recruiting year with 7 top 80 recruiting classes including Memphis at #1 vs. 6 top 80 classes with the BE. And, the Sagarin average team rating of the American has been trending upwards: 2020: 78.97 2019: 78.44 2018: 77.26 2017: 76.74 2016: 77.77 2015: 75.05 The American is an improving basketball conference and it can be a very good basketball conference, but it was a bad fit both geographically and culturally for UConn which is the most important point for UConn fans. I think it would have been very hard for UConn to make the Final 4 out of the American, but I think it is possible out of the Big East. Potential UConn recruits would rather play in the Big East over the American. [/QUOTE]