Atlantic 10's Butler not thinking about Big East move

Nicole Auerbach, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler basketball coach Brad Stevens is used to hearing his name mentioned whenever there's a coaching vacancy at a high major program.

His school is starting to get the same treatment -- whenever there are potentially open spots in a bigger conference.

USA TODAY Sports reported Thursday that the Big East's seven Catholic schools plan to leave the league. If they choose to add three or five members and form either a 10- or 12-team league, they could consider wooing Butler. SI.com reported Thursday afternoon that Butler would be a target for a 12-team league.

Stevens himself first heard about the Big East shakeup when a reporter sent him a story on it.

"It was news to me," Stevens told USA TODAY Sports. "I don't know what all the discussion is. Obviously, when people start throwing that stuff out, there's probably something behind the fact that those seven schools are at least in discussion. But I have no idea how it affects Butler. From my standpoint and my seat, I'm a lot more focused on (playing) Indiana this weekend. That's enough for me."

Butler athletic director Barry Collier said he, like everyone involved in college athletics, is paying attention to the rapidly changing landscape. Butler moved from the Horizon League to the Atlantic 10 Conference this offseason.

"We didn't sit around thinking, 'We've got to leave' the last league we were in," Collier said Thursday afternoon. "We're watching everything like everybody else.

"I couldn't speculate on what may happen or anything. We just want to do the best thing for our university, our student-athletes, for Butler. Right now, it's the A-10. We're excited about being here and think we've got a good team."