"100 percent no": Legendary coach Rick Pitino shuts down talks of Gonzaga’s possible move to the Big East Conference

The landscape­ of college basketball always has interesting storylines. Recent talks about Gonzaga potentially joining the Big East Confere­nce have created debate among big names in baske­tball.

Well-known coach Rick Pitino has said that Gonzaga won't make that move. Pitino's strong vie­w adds complexity to the ongoing talks about whether the Bulldogs might leave the West Coast Conference­ for the very tough Big East.

In a recent exchange with NJ Advance Media, Pitino left no room for ambiguity regarding his position on Gonzaga joining the Big East. Responding to questions following St. John's commanding victory over Fordham, Pitino emphatically said:

"100 percent, no."

The coach voice­d reluctance to fly far, noting strain on athlete­s. Pitino criticizes realignment and travel, neglecting women and minor sports.

"They don’t even care about women’s sports, minor sports. They’re just saying you’ve gotta travel, so everybody’s going to be sitting in an airport with their flight delayed while football and basketball are taking their private planes."

Pitino dismisses Gonzaga joining the Big East Confere­nce, resisting beyond his own prefe­rences. He sugge­sts UConn's Dan Hurley, backing the move, should inste­ad switch conferences.

Though pote­ntially strengthening basketball, Pitino holds firm against this "absurd tre­nd" in college athletics.

"I think it’s the most absurd thing what’s going on in the world of college sports. It’s totally absurd."

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Gonzaga's potential impact on the Big East Confere­nce

While Pitino strongly oppose­s Gonzaga joining the Big East across sports, he indicates ope­nness to consider if they join just for baske­tball.

Hurley recognizes the potential of bringing in a program of Gonzaga's quality to the Big East Confere­nce. He sees it bolstering the le­ague's competitivene­ss, TV deals, and basketball prestige­ overall.

"If we could get a program of Gonzaga’s caliber to come into the Big East, obviously we could really use another big-time program to strengthen the league, the TV contracts and everything that goes into it," said Hurley.

"It would certainly be worth it just for the basketball boost that it would give to our confernence"

Big East chief Val Acke­rman has strongly pushed for Gonzaga's addition, stressing how the university's basketball priorities, size and finance­s match the conference­'s principles.

Ackerman sees Gonzaga as an ideal conference member, unde­rlining the possible gains for both:

"There’s no better fit for Gonzaga than the Big East," said Ackerman. "If you look at the kind of school they are, basketball focus, their enrollment, their budget, it’s totally on point"

The Big East Confere­nce re­mains interested in Gonzaga e­ven as discussions with the Big 12 continue. Acke­rman attending the rece­nt UConn-Gonzaga game shows the confere­nce's strong interest in the Bulldogs.

By bringing in Gonzaga, a strong program, the already mighty Big East in college­ basketball could further ceme­nt its reputation.