Pac-12 tries to boost men’s basketball, loosen transfer rule

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Pac-12 presidents voted to standardize nonconference schedules for men’s basketball and allow athletes to transfer within the conference without losing a season of eligibility.

The Pac-12 also announced after its spring meeting of presidents and athletic directors a five-year extension to the annual $3.6 million funding of the conference’s Student-Athlete Health & Well-Being Initiative. The program will be reviewed after three years. The portion of funding that goes to on-campus mental health services will increase to $1.1 million.

Following a couple of down years for the Pac-12 in men’s basketball, the conference will now require its schools to beef up nonconference schedules. Using the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s NET metric, Pac-12 teams will be required to play nonconference opponents whose combined five-year average ranking is 175 or better.