Here it comes again. Conference realignment has hit college basketball. Yes, even in late August.

Loyola of Maryland announced Monday morning that it would be leaving the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) at the end of next season and joining the Patriot League on July 1, 2013.

The move completes the Patriot League's sought-after goal of growing to 10 teams; in June Boston University announced it would leave the America East and join the Patriot League next year as well.

This puts the MAAC in the awkward position of having nine programs. That's unlikely to stay, as the MAAC is a slight cut above the Patriot League -- which means, surprise, surprise, Loyola is doing this not for esteem, but for money -- and will need to pilfer a program from another conference in the upcoming months.

Loyola's coming off a 24-9 2011-12 season in men's hoops, where Jimmy Patsos coached the team to its second NCAA tournament bid in program history. The Greyhounds will be able to participate in the 2013 MAAC tournament, which is unlike the situation in the CAA, as league bylaws there stipulate that outgoing programs aren't eligible for league playoffs in their final year of residence.