So let's work with a hypothetical scenario for a moment.
AG gets us back in the tourney next year and the program gets rolling again. Jalen Crutcher, Jordan Davis and Cohill get us to back to back Sweet 16s the next two years after.
2025 rolls around and Dayton has been to the tourney 9/10 seasons since 2014 with some trips to second weekend sprinkled in. The ACC, B10, SEC & PAC 12 have all expanded to a 20 game schedule. The Big East is clearly being hurt by having 18 conference games. They need an 11th team to get to 20 games.
Creighton's AD all but confirms public schools are out. UConn is committed to football. Dayton is the best program performance wise out of the private schools in the Midwest/East Coast.
Does the Big East take the best possible program available? Do the Jesuits and
Xavier look to keep to Dayton out?