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Report: Butler, George Mason, VCU in talks to join A-10

VCU v Wichita St.

PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 15: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams reacts in the second half while taking on the Wichita State Shockers in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Rose Garden Arena on March 15, 2012 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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The Atlantic 10 will lose Temple following the 2012-13 school year as the Owls move on to the Big East, and it looks as if the conference could have three new members lined up.

According to a report by Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com, the Atlantic 10 is in discussions with three schools about their joining the league: Butler, George Mason and VCU.

At first glance that would move the A-10 to 16 members, but that number could actually be 15 according to the report.

Charlotte, whose football program begins play in 2013, has what amounts to an “informal invitation” to join the Sun Belt. With the need to place their football in a league that could be an attractive move for Charlotte while also cutting down on their travel costs.

This would be a big move for the A-10 on the basketball court as all three prospective schools have reached the Final Four since 2006, with Butler playing for the national title in both 2010 and 2011.

The question for Butler, George Mason and VCU would be why they’d leave their current leagues, and the answer from a basketball standpoint likely has a lot to do with available NCAA tournament bids.

The Horizon League has received just three at-large bids since 2000, and the CAA has received just four during that period.

Dayton and Xavier are schools close to Butler, and adding two more Virginia-based schools would up the A-10 number to three with Richmond in the fold already.

Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.