Marked by inconsistency and an overall weak basketball league, the Big Ten announced today that it will add a new member for basketball only.
"The New Jersey Tech Highlanders will make our conference THE elite conference in college basketball," Commissioner Jim Delany said in a Tuesday press conference. "New Jersey Tech has evolved as one of the predominant institutions of higher learning in the Northeast; we feel it's a good fit. They add an extremely competitive basketball program which should compete for national titles for years to come."
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Despite the Highlanders' 0-29 record this year, the Big Ten is gambling on the fact that their generally weak and overrated conference should benefit by the addition of the school from Newark.
Asked for his reaction Northwestern Coach Bill Carmody explained, "The more teams we add to the conference, the better the chances are that we will win more than one league game a year."
In a conference call, Indiana Head Coach Dan Dakich told the Associated Press, "I thought Rutgers was in the Big East!" He was later notified that there was more than one school in New Jersey.
ESPN.com's Andy Katz says to look out for the Highlanders next year. "In that pile of garbage they call the Big 10, New Jersey Tech could compete for a league crown, but with injuries and the fact that they have never won a game in Division I, second or third place seems more likely,” he said.
In a related story, the Illinois Fighting Illini is reportedly in talks to join the Horizon League.
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