Big East Expansion: San Diego State's Basketball Program Would Boost Big East

It's debatable what kind of impact San Diego State's football program would have on the Big East if the university was to join the conference, but there's no debating the boost that San Diego State's basketball program would give the Big East.

After making the NCAA Tournament in 2010, the Aztecs made it all the way to the Sweet 16 last season before falling to eventual champion Connecticut.

After years of toiling in the Mountain West Conference, SDSU's basketball program is on the rise, even after the loss of star forward Kawhi Leonard to the NBA.

San Diego State is off to a 5-1 start, only falling to then-No. 12 Baylor on Nov. 15. They are in first place in the MWC, aided by guards Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley.

The program is solid, boosted by head coach Steve Fisher (who also led "The Fab Five" at Michigan so many years ago).

And the fanbase is electric, dubbed simply "The Show."

Add in the fact that the Big East will be losing two of its top basketball schools (Syracuse and Pittsburgh) and it's no wonder why the conference has reportedly been looking across the coast at SDSU.

So much emphasis has been placed on San Diego State as a football program amid Big East expansion talk, but people aren't taking into account what this university would mean for the Big East in terms of basketball.

And while the loss of head coach Brady Hoke to Michigan certainly hurt the Aztecs on the football field, it's not like San Diego State has a bad football program; the Aztecs have fallen of a bit since last season, but they still have a strong running back in sophomore Ronnie Hillman and have gone 6-4 this season.

The Big East is going to be hurting on the football field with the losses of Pittsburgh and potentially West Virginia, but the conference is also likely picking up Boise State.

The conference's biggest area to address—basketball—would be filled quite nicely by San Diego State.