Brian Dutcher pitches Pac-12 to invite San Diego State to join conference

Since USC and UCLA announced their decisions to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, San Diego State has been linked to the conference as it looks to regroup from the two high-profile departures. It sounds like the Aztecs’ head basketball coach would be on board with making the jump.

Brian Dutcher made his case for the Pac-12 to invite San Diego State to the league during his Saturday media session ahead of the Elite Eight. He said he wouldn’t expect an invitation if USC and UCLA were still in the league because the Pac-12 already had the Los Angeles market.

If the conference wants a replacement, Dutcher thinks SDSU would be a good fit both on and off the playing field.

“My own personal belief is I always thought the Pac-12 would not ask us in with UCLA and USC because they would put us on equal footing, and we would be too great a competitor to let in,” Dutcher said. “Now that they’re gone and Southern California has a really good team sitting in San Diego, I would think we would be desirable for the Pac-12, the Big 12, a lot of conferences.

“We’ve won a lot of games in football and basketball. Non-revenue sports have always been good. We do things the right way, we have a great university, and we have a competitive athletic program.”

The Pac-12 is in an interesting position right now

Things have been relatively quiet on the Pac-12 expansion front as the league works out its next media rights deal. It’s unclear when a deal will come to fruition, but On3’s Eric Prisbell previously reported the conference might have to make a decision between dollars and exposure. As far as expansion goes, San Diego State has been a rumored target, as has SMU. In fact, On3 and On The Pony Express’ Billy Embody reported Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff visited SMU’s campus as part of that process.

But San Diego State has been seen as the top target for the Pac-12 if it decides to expand, even as far back as January when Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News talked about it on The Paul Finebaum Show.

“I think San Diego State’s probably No. 1 because it’s a pretty good media market and also, the Pac-12 needs to have a campus in Southern California,” Wilner said. “That is the prime recruiting territory. If they don’t invite San Diego State, the Big 12 probably will. [Big 12 commissioner] Brett Yormark’s made no secret about trying to get schools in the Pacific time zone.

“So, if San Diego State’s out there and available, the Big 12’s going to take them. That would leave two Big Ten teams in L.A. and a Big 12 team in San Diego, and that would not be good for Pac-12 recruiting in Southern California. I think San Diego State is pretty much a must-add.”