Gonzaga joins the Pac-12: Why this power shift could impact Kentucky basketball

Rumors swirled late last week about Gonzaga heading to the Pac-12, a conference that is working on rebuilding its brand after 10 schools left last year. Today, the Pac-12 conference released the official announcement.

In the official press release, Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said, "Today represents an exciting milestone for the Pac-12 as we welcome another outstanding institution with a rich history of success into our league." This announcement is important for the Kentucky Wildcats as one of the most successful basketball programs of the last couple of decades will be playing stronger competition year in and year out.

In the immediate future, it matters for the Wildcats because they play Gonzaga on December 7 in Seattle in a game called "The Battle for Seattle." This will be the first time Mark Pope has had a chance to take on the Zags, in a series that his predecessor had no luck in. John Calipari is 0-2 against Gonzaga and Kentucky is 1-2 lifetime against them.

The last time the two faced off was on February 10th of last season, and it left a bitter taste in our mouths. It was the first time since 1976 that the Wildcats had lost three home games in a row. While neither the players on this current roster nor any of the staff has revenge on their minds because they weren't even here, fans will. We want to see Kentucky assert its dominance as the primary basketball program in the country.

In the long term, Gonzaga will have to face tougher competition during the regular season than they have in years past. While the likes of Boise State, Colorado State, Cal State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Washington State, Oregon State, and Utah State are not all that impressive, they sure are more impressive than Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Portland, and so on.

Gonzaga's schedule for this season is currently set, so they won't be adding that strength of schedule before the December 7th meeting. However, as the future unfolds, Gonzaga will be considered an even more formidable opponent than they currently are, as their schedule helps build them stronger resumes.