Best of the rest: Pac-12 returns, Mountain West shifts, new leagues, college hoops Cinderellas to know

There are 32 leagues (again!) in college hoops. Here’s our look at the teams, names and games to know in the 27 outside the power conferences

There are 32 leagues (again!) in college hoops. Here Conference realignment has hit the mid-major ranks in a major way this year. The most consequential move of them all is a big-band revival that's got a whole new vibe: The Pac-12 is back and it swiped basically half of the Mountain West on its path to resurrection. The new union out west involves (alphabetically): Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State and Washington State. Yes: nine state schools and Gonzaga. But Gonzaga was absolutely necessary to legitimize the Pac-12 in its morphed, new phase. I'm so very intrigued to see how the Pac-12 fares in its first season under new management.

With the NCAA Tournament now (unfortunately) at 76 teams, the conference should have aspirations of getting at least three into the Big Dance on an annual basis. And in 2027, I expect that to be the case. As for the Mountain West, it was able to keep the likes of UNLV, New Mexico and Nevada. It brought Grand Canyon aboard, which feels consequential for that league's hopes of trying to be a two-bid league in the years to come. But with the likes of UC Davis, San Jose State, Hawaii and Air Force still in the ranks, the conference's best