Is the Big Ten worth the flights? USC, UCLA basketball coaches weigh the trade-off

When UCLA and USC announced plans to join the Big Ten for the 2024 football season, it created perhaps the most seismic change ever in conference realignment. The Pac-12 Conference ultimately broke apart with eight other schools leaving for different conferences, including Oregon and Washington following the Los Angeles-based universities to the Big Ten.

USC and UCLA entered their Big Ten era as fully vested financial partners with football the driving force. But for USC and especially UCLA, basketball does more than just ride shotgun. UCLA men’s basketball ranks among college sports’ greatest dynasties. Its women’s basketball program finished 37-1 and won the NCAA championship in April. With national player of the year Juju Watkins, USC’s women claimed the Big Ten title in 2024-25, their first Big Ten season. Entering their third Big Ten season, all four basketball programs are ranked.

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But do they feel like Big Ten members? Earlier this summer at the Terranea Resort outside of Los Angeles, The Athletic spoke with all four head coaches about their successes, challenges and how their universities can build an even better future in the Big Ten. All four agreed there were positives — and a few concerns — about their relationship with a conference that stretches from ocean to ocean.

“We’ve reaped every benefit of the larger stage,” USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “We play in front of sold-out arenas on the road. The things that are challenges, I think we’ve met them head-on and not used any distance or any plane flight as an excuse. We’re excited to be in the conference, and I think it’s given us every opportunity to rise to the top of our sport because of being in the Big Ten.”

Added USC men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman: “It’s great for us and great for the Big Ten. It’s much more of a pro model, just with the travel and geographically covering so many major media markets.”

All four programs saw much larger road environments in the Big…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/big-ten-worth-flights-usc-111606024.html

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Publish date : 2026-11-04 11:16:00

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