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Syracuse, Pitt might be able to bolt Big East by summer

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Mike Miller

Temple’s in the Big East. Syracuse and Pittsburgh may not be much longer.

Commissioner John Marinatto said during Wednesday’s press conference announcing the Owls’ move, that he’s “ready to have that conversation” to allow the Orange and Panthers to join the ACC. In fact, CBSSports.com’s Brett McMurphy reports “there is no doubt” both schools will be in the ACC in 2013.

Marinatto previously said the conference would hold the schools to their official June 2014 departure date, but West Virginia’s recent settlement that allowed it to join the Big 12 in 2012 opened things up.

The Big East was always headed for this change. It’s just gonna make it a little sooner than previously thought.

For Big East tournament aficionados, that means an event next year with just 15 teams. There’s a breakdown of how that’ll affect the format here. It won’t be a permanent change, though. By 2013-14, the league will have 18 teams when Memphis, Houston, UCF and SMU join.

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