The landscape of Division I men's basketball is set for a major shift as the 2026‑27 season approaches, with conference realignment reshaping the traditional power map.
At the center of the upheaval, the Pac‑12 is poised to make a comeback, not as the historic ten‑team league of recent years but as a nine‑team circuit that will blend legacy programs with a handful of newcomers from the Mountain West, the Sun Belt and the West Coast Conference.
The conference will welcome five former Mountain West institutions — among them Utah, Colorado State, and New Mexico — while also incorporating Texas State from the Sun Belt and Gonzaga, which moves over from the WCC, adding a strong West Coast presence.
To fill the vacancies left by those departures, the Mountain West will look to replenish its ranks with Hawaii, UC Davis and UTEP, ensuring a competitive slate despite the losses.
Meanwhile, the West Coast Conference will add Denver from the Summit League after Gonzaga’s exit, and the old Western Athletic Conference will rebrand itself as the United Athletic Conference, presenting a fresh identity for its remaining members.
What the realignment means for the upcoming season
The ASUN, now consisting of eight teams for the 2026‑27 campaign, will feature West Florida’s transition from Division II, a move that could inject new talent into the league, while Jacksonville is projected to earn an at‑large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Looking ahead to the 2027‑28 season, the WCC plans to welcome UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego from the Big West, expanding its geographic footprint, and Fairfield will depart the Metro Conference to join the Colonial Athletic Association, further diversifying the competitive landscape.
The ripple effects of these moves will be felt in the NCAA Tournament selection process, as teams from the rejuvenated Pac‑12 and the bolstered ASUN could alter the traditional at‑large bids, while the UAC’s emergence adds another wildcard for bracketologists.
Coaches and analysts alike are already speculating on how the new conference dynamics will influence recruiting, scheduling and ultimately the on‑court product that fans will watch throughout the spring.