Seattle and Grand Canyon will be leaving the Western Athletic Conference and moving to the West Coast Conference starting July 2025.

The nine current members of the conference are private universities with a religious affiliation. Seattle is a Jesuit institution, while Grand Canyon, situated in Phoenix, is a Christian college.

Grand Canyon’s basketball achievements were a significant factor in attracting WCC commissioner Stu Jackson. The team has participated in the last two NCAA Tournaments and three of the previous four under the leadership of coach Bryce Drew.

As the 12th-seeded Antelopes defeated fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s before losing to Alabama in the tournament this season.

Saint Mary’s is currently a member of the West Coast Conference.

The WCC, while also integrating Oregon State and Washington State this autumn (excluding football), will expand from 11 to 13 members by the 2025-26 season.

The future beyond 2026 looks uncertain, with Oregon State and Washington State appearing unlikely to continue with the WCC.

The former Pac-12 schools are under a two-year contract, expiring on June 30, 2026. Sources from CBS Sports suggest that the odds of the two Pacific Northwest institutions staying are slim, with a move to the Mountain West or a new conference formation being more probable.

Following the departures of Sam Houston and New Mexico State last year, Seattle and Grand Canyon’s exit from the WAC will reduce the conference’s membership to just eight by July 2025.

Former guard of Cal State Fullerton Max Jones has made a decision to join Kansas State for his upcoming collegiate season, according to reports.

Notable alternatives that Jones purportedly pondered were New Mexico, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Florida Atlantic, and Loyola Chicago.

During the previous season with the Titans, Jones maintained an average of 15.3 points and 3.0 rebounds across 24 games, in which he started 21. He secured the second-highest scoring position within the team, alongside being the second in 3-pointers with 42 baskets and 41 steals.

In the season prior, Jones held an average of 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 32 games, amassing 34 three-pointers and 30 steals.

Before making his way to Cal State Fullerton post the 2021-22 season, Jones spent two years at Division II Tampa, where he managed to achieve an average of 21.9 points across 21 games during his sophomore year with the Spartans.

In the recent offseason, Kansas State acquired Dug McDaniel, a former player from Michigan recognized as one of the premier point guards available in this year’s transfer portal.

Pat Knight, the son of the esteemed Hall of Fame mentor Bob Knight, is expected to be appointed as the next head coach for Marian’s men’s basketball team, as reported by On3.

Following Scott Heady‘s resignation on April 3, subsequent to his selection as the head coach for the University of Indianapolis, Marian, a renowned NAIA basketball program based in Indianapolis, has been looking for a new head coach.

The institution, distinguished with the nickname of the Knights, seems to have pinpointed Knight as the ideal successor.

The adept 53-year-old previously helmed Texas Tech from 2007 to 2011, accumulating a record of 50-61, following in his father’s footsteps, who abruptly retired during the 2007-08 season.

Knight subsequently managed Lamar from 2011 to 2014, achieving a record of 29-62. Since departing Lamar, he has been meticulously analyzing talent as a scout for the Indiana Pacers.

Steve Downing, the athletic director at Marian, shares a profound connection with the Knight family. During his senior year, he competed on Bob Knight’s revered 1972-73 Indiana squad that was vanquished by UCLA in the NCAA Tournament semifinals. He later held esteemed positions within the athletic staff at both Indiana and Texas Tech.

Bob Knight, renowned for his coaching tenure at Army (1965-1971), Indiana (1971-2000), and Texas Tech (2000-2008), amassing three NCAA championship victories with the Hoosiers, sadly passed away last November at the age of 83.