I love REDSLOPE's idea of SJU going it alone, or a variation of that. Imagine the 7 Catholic basketball schools breaking off and playing a home-away schedule against each other at the core. That is 12 games for us right there. Then we fill out the rest of our schedule with some games at Carnesecca and a whole bunch against quality opponents at MSG. Ah, to dream. I am delusional, I know. If we were in the position that we were already filling MSG every game this might be a consideration.
Of course if we tried to go it alone in men's hoops it would leave the rest of our athletics program out in the cold. I don't know if the A10 or Big East as it is now would allow SJU to remain without basketball. ND football had that power.
Why wouldn't a new conference have lacrosse, soccer, baseball, track etc? Even if it's just the 7 catholic schools and a few other basketball schools like Butler, Xavier etc, a 10 or 12 team league would sponsor those other sports without a problem. In fact, it'd probably be more efficient because you'd eliminate most of the long road trips. Lot easier for the tennis team to get to Virginia or Indianapolis than Houston, New Orleans or Orlando.
Lets look at baseball for example, need about 8 schools for a conference
Currently we have St Johns Seton Hall Villanova Georgetown Louisville So Florida UCONN Rutgers Cincinnati Pittsburgh Notre Dame
Schools currently without baseball Marquette DePaul Syracuse Providence
As we move forward you would have St Johns Seton Hall Villanova and Geogetown playing baseball
Out of the schools we would likely consider the following have D1 baseball Butler, St. Louis, Creighton, VCU, Xavier, Gonzaga, UMASS, Murray State, St. Joes, Richmond
The following schools have no D1 baseball Dayton, Rhode Island
There has got to be some thought into fielding a conference to fill out other sports as well.
I would imagine that each school would have D1 soccer, track and field, lacrosse, volleyball etc for men and women due to Title IX