Is it a MAC problem or geographical problem now that NIL is place? Just noticing a lot of southern mid-major schools have become more prominent in hoops since the adaption. Money talks, but perhaps climate is playing a factor in the decision. A milder winter during the season might be preferred after a few years north. Just my own speculation on the shift.
Could be geographical, but the SoCon also just out spends the MAC on basketball now. Not massively, but both the median and average program budget in the SoCon exceeds the MAC now. That wasn't true as recently as 2019, but MAC spending has decreased.
Think that's a good indicator of how hard it is to fund both football and basketball at a school like a MAC school that doesn't generate a ton of revenue from either. Kind of crazy that our budget is in line with VMI, which is a tiny state school, has never won anything of note in basketball, plays in a tiny market, etc. Student fees alone should let us dwarf a school like that, but our spend has to stretch further, I guess.