Notre Dame in Big East for 2013-14

If you were hoping Pitt would get to play Notre Dame in basketball next season in the ACC, you're out of luck. Okay, so few people care about that matchup, but you get the point.

The Irish are stuck will be staying in the Big East for the 2013-14 season despite the conference being in a big transition period. Part of the reason Notre Dame is sticking it out for another season? The Catholic 7 being able to start their new league by this fall is looking like less of a possibility:

"I feel strongly that the Catholic schools are going to be there with us. That's one of the reasons we decided to sit tight," Brey said. "It looked like the Catholic schools were not going to be able to formulate this league that they're going to put together by next season. Now I think anything could happen. Could they put it together in the next six weeks? I mean nothing would shock me.

"But I think we feel that they're going to be in there, we're going to be in there, so the last hurrah is going to be next year, not this year."

If Notre Dame couldn't reach a deal with the Big East to get out early, it's not the worst thing in the world. The Big East won't be what it was in terms of basketball with the recent departures, but if the Catholic schools are there, it's still a strong league.

Pitt fans wanted the Panthers out for the football upgrade, but Notre Dame has no such issue since they're an independent. Really when you think about it, what's the hurry for them?

As Mike Brey says, anything can happen. But like him, I don't see it happening. And on the Catholic 7 front, there's no great hurry either. Why rush things when they could take their time and find the best fits in terms of additional members? That would allow them to strategically put the conference together and land the best TV deal possible.

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