Notre Dame men's basketball coach Mike Brey is sad to see what's become -- and what might become -- of the Big East. But he's glad the Irish will be away from the blast radius when the league finally implodes.
With reports swirling that the seven non-football-playing Catholic schools in the Big East -- DePaul, Marquette, Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova, Seton Hall and Providence -- are planning to leave the league en masse, Brey didn't sound surprised on Thursday.
"It's another blow we all felt was coming," Brey said. "It's one of the reasons we made the move to the ACC. But to see that league maybe breaking off, it's hard for anyone who invested a lot of time in the league."
Brey said the Big East turmoil could expedite Notre Dame's impending departure for the Atlantic Coast Conference -- one of the many body blows the Big East has suffered in recent years.
"When I look at the climate right now with the Big East, maybe that does get us there next year," he said.
Brey said he hopes to continue scheduling those seven Catholic schools on a rotating basis in his non-conference schedule, in which he hopes to play four "power" schools per year.
"I had very mixed emotions (when Notre Dame announced the move to the ACC) because our identity and my identity has been with the Big East," Brey said. "And I'm really proud of being a Big East guy."
With reports swirling that the seven non-football-playing Catholic schools in the Big East -- DePaul, Marquette, Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova, Seton Hall and Providence -- are planning to leave the league en masse, Brey didn't sound surprised on Thursday.
"It's another blow we all felt was coming," Brey said. "It's one of the reasons we made the move to the ACC. But to see that league maybe breaking off, it's hard for anyone who invested a lot of time in the league."
Brey said the Big East turmoil could expedite Notre Dame's impending departure for the Atlantic Coast Conference -- one of the many body blows the Big East has suffered in recent years.
"When I look at the climate right now with the Big East, maybe that does get us there next year," he said.
Brey said he hopes to continue scheduling those seven Catholic schools on a rotating basis in his non-conference schedule, in which he hopes to play four "power" schools per year.
"I had very mixed emotions (when Notre Dame announced the move to the ACC) because our identity and my identity has been with the Big East," Brey said. "And I'm really proud of being a Big East guy."
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