Gonzaga in talks with Big 12 about joining conference

According to sources, the athletic director met with the Big 12 commissioner last week to discuss the possibility of the Zags joining the conference. There is a chance of the basketball powerhouse leaving the West Coast Conference for a power conference.

According to sources, the Big 12 commissioner met with Standiford at the Hyatt in Texas while the Zags were in the Dallas area to play Tennessee.

The Big 12's move backs up Yormark's promise of being aggressive and open for business, and it could potentially change the landscape of college basketball.

It has emerged as one of the premier basketball programs in the country, as it has explored its conference options, according to sources. Sources say that the Big East and the Pacific-12 have been talking with the school.

It has grown into one of the top programs in the sport as it has dominated the West Coast Conference. The school has been open about its discussions.

The Big 12 has been considered to be the top basketball league in the country in recent years, and it's no surprise that it's looking to add another school to its roster. The Big 12 has two men's basketball national champions in the past, and Texas Tech lost in overtime in the NCAA title game.

The Big 12's reputation would be perpetuated as a result of the addition of Gonzaga. The men's basketball team played in two national title games. In the last five years, the school has been a No. 1 seed in the tournament four times.

The league wants to expand. Adding a fourth time zone and programs with national cachet is something he has talked about publicly. The Big 12 and its television partners are close to an agreement on a six-year extension. It's not clear how any potential payouts would trickle down to a school without football, but the idea of a basketball league would be attractive to TV partners.

The Big 12 brought up the idea of Gonzaga joining the league in conversations with its television partners recently. The Big 12's final deal didn't have anything to do with the potential addition.

A person familiar with the Big 12 deal said it was hints. In a quiet way it came up. It's not a financial game-changer.