Metro Conference Preview

Here is how Ken Pomeroy ranks the teams that belonged to the Metro Conference in 1980, when U of L won its first NCAA title. The number before each team is that team's national ranking:

8. Louisville
20. Memphis State
29. Florida State
33. Cincinnati
52. Virginia Tech
62. St. Louis
180. Tulane

I really miss the old Metro Conference. As you can see here, it had a number of solid programs -- except for Tulane -- and the Louisville/Memphis State rivalry was one of the best in college basketball. This year, four of the Metro's seven members would be solid tournament teams, and Virginia Tech and St. Louis would be on the bubble. That's a great league.

Another advantage of the Metro Conference was that because teams only had to play twelve conference games, they had room for a lot of first class non-conference games. In the 1979-80 season, U of L played out of conference games against Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Ohio State, Princeton, Illinois, Kansas State, Marquette, St. John's, Providence, and West Virginia. That's a great schedule.

These days, of course, U of L is in the Big East, but who knows how much longer that will last. It must be very jarring for their fans. This year, for example, U of L has home-and-home series with Syracuse and Pittsburgh -- two programs that will soon be in the ACC. How can you work up real rivalries under those circumstances?

On the other hand, I am happy to report that on December 17th, U of L will host Memphis State (yes, I know they've changed their name, but I like the old name better). Maybe their shared hatred of UK will bring the Tigers and Cardinals back together. I certainly hope so.