Gonzaga's rumored move to Big 12 comes into focus ahead of ESPN College GameDay

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas and Gonzaga's athletic director discussed the program's candidacy in the Big 12

With ESPN's College GameDay in Spokane for the first time since 2009, Gonzaga's stature as a program and its potential move to the Big 12 have been dominant areas of discussion in the days leading up to Saturday's West Coast Conference regular-season championship against Saint Mary's.

Gonzaga has engaged in at least two prior talks with the Big 12, which recently weighed the Zags' candidacy as a basketball-only program during meetings between conference administrators in early February.

Chris Standiford, Gonzaga's athletic director, emphasized the school's partnership with the WCC, but wouldn't rule out a potential departure.

"We're proud members of the West Coast Conference and we're going to continue to be open to conversations with others, but at this point, the environment is so dynamic that I don't really have anything to share," Standiford said on Friday.

Some believe the pressure is growing for Gonzaga to upgrade its level of competition in a new conference, but ESPN analyst Jay Bilas has a different outlook on the situation.

"I think it's smart of the leadership here to kick the tires because things are changing," Bilas said. "You're nimble in deciding what's the best thing for the future, but it's a position of strength because you don't have to do anything. Things have been pretty good in the West Coast Conference, and it hasn't diminished Gonzaga's postseason success."

Of all the factors that could be slowing down negotiations, Bilas mentioned Gonzaga's lack of a football program as a potential difference-maker for a conference looking to expand.

"Gonzaga doesn't have football, so the value proposition you'd have to examine is: 'What's this going to bring Gonzaga that they don't have now?'" Bilas said.

However, Bilas admitted that if an offer is good enough, the school has to consider its options outside of the WCC.

"Any person in business, whether it's your job, my job or you're a head coach, if you get an offer somewhere else, you look at it," Bilas said. "Doesn't mean you're going to take it, but it's just smart to look at it."

Bilas and the rest of ESPN's College GameDay crew will broadcast their show at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Saturday from 7-9 a.m. PST. 

Later in the day, No. 12 Gonzaga (24-5, 13-2 WCC) will host No. 15 Saint Mary's (25-5, 14-1) at 7 p.m.