Bob Huggins Gives Gonzaga A Reality Check About Potentially Joining The Big 12

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West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins thinks Gonzaga might be in for an eye-opening experience if the program joins the Big 12.

It was reported earlier in the week that the Bulldogs have had conversations with the Big 12 about potentially joining the conference, and the man leading the Mountaineers thinks a reality check might await Mark Few's team.

"I would think it would be a tremendous awakening for Gonzaga ," Huggins told the media Thursday, according to ESPN.

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Will Gonzaga join the Big 12? (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Big 12 basketball is notoriously tough, and even once Oklahoma and Texas leave for the SEC, it won't get any easier.

Baylor and Kansas are both premier programs, and the rest of the conference is also very tough. If you want to compete in the Big 12, you better be prepared to run the gauntlet.

Going into the season, half the conference is currently ranked. Including three teams in the top 12. That's a hell of a lot different than playing in the WCC.

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The Big 12 is in talks with Gonzaga. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Big 12 would be a huge change for Gonzaga.

Last year, the Bulldogs had tough games against Texas, UCLA, Duke, Alabama, Texas A&M and St. Mary's during the regular season. Mark Few's team went 3-3 in those regular season games.

Now, imagine having to play ranked teams every week instead of just a handful of times and then settling for the likes of Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount the rest of the season. To be clear, Gonzaga is an elite program, but playing cupcakes week in and week out during the regular season allows them to avoid the fatigue major programs face.

There's no doubt Bob Huggins has a point when he says there'd be an awakening. Mark Few and the Bulldogs would find out real quick Big 12 basketball is where the big dogs play. It's worlds apart from the WCC.

Of course, none of this matters if Gonzaga doesn't leave the WCC for the Big 12. However, there might be a difficult transition period if it does.

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David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.