Gonzaga Basketball to Mountain West by April 6th?

Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth says there is no drop dead date but admits if Gonzaga is going to make the jump from the West Coast Conference to the Mountain West it will happen in the next two weeks.

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few was asked about the possible move when his team was in Boise for the NCAA first and second rounds but deflected the question by saying his focus was on playing basketball. Few did confirm there had been talks with the Mountain West but claimed there were others as well but somehow the Mountain West talks leaked.

Roth has also confirmed a move to the Mountain West is possible and if that move is made the Zag's would be on the MW schedule for 2018-19. That means a decision would have to be made likely by April 6th.

The Mountain West is ranked as the #9 basketball conference in the country, the WCC the 14th. The Mountain West power rankings would spike with the addition of Gonzaga and there in lies the benefit to both the Zag's and the Mountain West.

As for rumors BYU might follow Gonzaga to the Mountain West, Roth says there have never been any discussions where Gonzaga and BYU were a package.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe confirms that while he and Roth have talked, it was never about a packaged deal.

Rumors most certainly began concerning BYU because it seems logical if given a chance they'd want to play in a stronger conference and without Gonzaga the WCC would take a huge hit.

Besides, BYU is independent in football and that hasn't exactly been a cake walk but and if basketball jumped to the Mountain West it would make sense for football to follow.

It might explain why Holmoe has criticized Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson for letting it slip that talks were even underway. Holmoe saying until anything is final, everything needs to be kept in house, behind closed doors.

Fortunately whatever happens it will have to happen fast for the move to be made this year and that means no one will have to keep a secret much past April 6th.