URI would be the furthest school from Loyola but the trip is not all that difficult. Rhode Island TF Green Airport is an easy 25 minute ride from the campus with all of the route outside the urban core of the state which is centered around Providence. The airport is serviced by all the major commercial carriers with several daily non stops to Chicago. The train and driving are also fairly easy options as well if coming from other northeast A-10 schools. The Bos-Wash Amtrak corridor tracks run right along the campus with the Ryan Center arena visible from the train and a station in town just a mile away. The school is also located on Route 138 which has an on/off ramp 10 miles west to Route 95, probably the nation's most used interstate which runs from Maine to Florida connecting most of the east coast's major cities. The winter weather is not as bad as other northeast locales as the campus is in a coastal town just ten miles from the ocean and its moderating temperature effects. The annual snowfall in Kingston is 30 inches which is less than Chicago (37") and several other A-10 homes.

The worst commute in the conference is St Bonaventure. It is located in a small town in western NY which is a 1.5 hour drive with good conditions to the Buffalo airport. Several A-10 schools however choose to charter to a small airport in the much closer Bradford, PA. Winter weather can sometimes play into travel plans there as Olean, NY gets some 76 inches of annual snowfall, the most in the league.

UMass is located in the Connecticut River valley in western Massachusetts. The closest commercial airport is 45 minutes away at Bradley International in CT which is between Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA. Amherst, home to UMass, gets about 42 inches of annual snowfall as it is more inland with colder temperatures than coastal New England.

Considering the continuous conference carousel, it would not surprise me to see departures and additions to the A10 in the next several years. This may be an opening to add a team like Bradley or Drake that might feel their academics and commitment to athletics warrant them being in the A-10.

A lot of people are projecting Dayton and SLU to depart for the Big East, but if that is a no brainer, why hasn't it occurred yet? Since the Big East is all about basketball money, the only reason to expand is if adding a team grows their TV revenue and/or tournament take-home beyond the dilution each member will receive by splitting the TV-money pie among more schools. I don't claim to know what those numbers look like; however, if SLU, Dayton and the Big East determine switching to the BE grows revenue, one would think it can happen quickly. The question is will Dayton and SLU necessarily bring in more money than the dilution they cause the existing members?

Hey guys, and welcome to the A10! Do we have any bloggers/writers on here that would potentially like to write for A10Talk.com? Would love to hear from any of you!

None of us know anything about basketball

Well, welcome to the A-10... where the conference identity is "we belong in the Big East but those (jerks) won't let us in."

And that's why you belong with us! Loyola made the Final Four and followed it up with a Sweet 16, but did the Big East call? No, they're elitist (what's the word censorship here?). You're a better program than DePaul but on the outside looking in.

St. Joe's and LaSalle couldn't get into the Big East because of Villanova.
Rhode Island couldn't get into the Big East because of Providence.
UMass couldn't get into the old Big East because of Boston College
George Washington couldn't get into the Big East because of Georgetown
Duquesne couldn't get into the Big East because of Pitt.
Fordham couldn't get into the Big East because of (the fact that they kinda suck and) St. John's.

St. Bonaventure couldn't get into the Big East, despite being a better program through 1977 than Syracuse, because SU AD Jake Crouthamel, Dave Gavitt and Bill Raftery were drinking buddies.

Now, Dayton can't get into the Big East because of Xavier.

Loyola is "one of us" and we welcome you. I'm a Bona guy, and I trust Steve Watson because he's a Bonnie and he hired Mark Schmidt. You are an A-10 team. You ARE the A-10: one of the best basketball programs that can't get into the Big East.

In the A-10, everyone but us is the enemy. We are a brotherhood from Selection Sunday to New Year's Day; and let's kick the crap out of our Michigan State.

See you guys in the Final Four,
- JP

It's been nice to see the support from A-10 fans here on this forum. I think we appreciate it and look forward to the future in the A-10

Hahaha...great post! Really made me laugh.

Thank you for the warm welcome!

I earned my undergraduate degree at Bona and graduate degree at Loyola. I am ecstatic about this move for the Ramblers! The A10 is a great basketball conference with a crazy fan base. I honestly believe that Loyola's recruiting will improve as a result. I am a Bonnie first and foremost, but a loyal Rambler as well. I hate the idea of the two competing against each other because one team is going to lose a particular game. However, hopefully both can make the NCAA in the same season as the A10 is a multiple bid league. Steve Watson knows the A10 inside and out. This was an informed decision that will allow Loyola to continue to improve the program and brand on a consistent basis. I understand all of the emotions in this thread. In the end, I honestly believe that both the A10 and Loyola will benefit. Go Bonnies! Go Ramblers!

_________________
Loyola '86
St. Bona '83

Um, as our A-10 brothers, maybe you could have tipped us off to go OVER SCREENS on AJ Green, instead of under? Dear Lord!

I'm hoping UNI rides your coattails into the dance. That was not a fun day.

Hi JP,
Sorry about AJ yesterday. He hasn’t done much prior to yesterday, and I thought everyone knew to not go under screens with him. We’ve still got to get this MVC season done, and well done, so I’m staying focused on MVC, but am cheating my viewing time into A10 games. Looking forward to more conversation and promise to share intel w/ you guys. Good luck the rest of the way.