Memphis is the latest school to sign up for a spot in the new Big East

A person familiar with the decision says Memphis is joining the Big East. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an official announcement was pending.

Memphis Athletic director R.C. Johnson said the school is holding a conference call followed by a news conference Wednesday to discuss the university’s athletic affiliation.

The Tigers will join the league for the 2013-14 season and compete in all sports, becoming the fourth Conference USA team to move to the Big East in the last two months, along with Houston, Central Florida and SMU.

CBSSports.com first reported Memphis was on the verge of joining the Big East.

The Big East is trying to replace basketball powers Syracuse and Pittsburgh and West Virginia, and create a football league with at least 12 teams.

Syracuse and Pittsburgh are leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference and West Virginia is headed to the Big 12.

Along with previously adding in December three CUSA schools, Boise State and San Diego State agreed to join the Big East in football only in 2013.

Last month, the Big East announced Navy will become a football-only member in 2015.

When West Virginia, Syracuse and Pitt are leaving is still up in the air. West Virginia has sued the Big East in an effort to join the Big 12 in 2012. The Big East filed a countersuit trying to force WVU to abide by the conference’s bylaws, which require a 27-month notification period for schools to depart.

Big East Commissioner John Marinatto has said the league intends to hold West Virginia, Pitt and Syracuse until the summer of 2014.

Ap Top 25 Poll

2 Syracuse (2) 22-1

3 Ohio State 19-3

4 Missouri 20-2 

5 North Carolina 18-3

6 Baylor 19-2 

7 Duke 18-3

8 Kansas 17-4

9 Michigan State 17-4

10 Murray State 21-0

11 UNLV 20-3

12 Florida 17-4 

13 Creighton 20-2

14 Georgetown 16-4

15 Marquette 18-4 

16 Virginia 17-3

17 San Diego State 18-3

18 Saint Mary’s 21-2

19 Wisconsin 17-5 

20 Indiana 17-5 

21 Florida State 14-6

22 Mississippi State 17-5 

23 Michigan 16-6

24 Gonzaga 17-3 

25 Vanderbilt 16-5

Tony Wroten scored 17 points and blocked Josiah Turner’s layup at the buzzer to help Washington hold off Arizona for a 69-67 win on Saturday night.

Washington (14-7, 7-2 Pac-12) led by 11 with just under 6 minutes left before Arizona charged back. The Wildcats tied it at 67-all on Solomon Hill’s 3-pointer with 6.9 seconds left, but Turner was called for a blocking foul.

After C.J. Wilcox hit both free throws, Turner appeared to have an open lane to the basket, but Wroten tracked him down and swatted the ball off the backboard from behind.

Terrence Ross had 16 points and Wilcox finished with 15 in his second game back from a hip injury for the Huskies.

Hill had 28 points and 11 rebounds, and Jesse Perry added 13 points and 12 rebounds for Arizona (14-8, 5-4).

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Jack Cooley scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds Saturday night as Notre Dame upset No. 1 Syracuse 67-58 and handed the Orange their first loss after 20 consecutive victories…Fans stormed the court after the Irish’s rousing victory. It was the eighth time Notre Dame has beaten a No. 1 team — that ties for fourth-most all-time, with North Carolina having the most with 12.

The Orange (20-1, 7-1) played without starting center Fab Melo, who did not make the trip and will not play Monday against Cincinnati.

Without Melo in the middle, the 6-foot-9, 248-pound Cooley was a major force for Notre Dame (12-8, 4-3) and the Irish won the rebound battle 38-25.

Melo had started all 20 of the Orange’s first games, was their leading rebounder with 5.7 a game, averaged 7.2 points and three blocks. School officials gave no explanation why the talented center did not make the trip. C.J. Fair started for the Orange.

James Southerland scored 15 points for Syracuse, which shot just 34 percent and had its lowest scoring game of the season. Scott Martin added 13 for Notre Dame, which hit 50 percent of its field-goal attempts.

Southerland’s 3-pointer with 53.9 seconds left brought the Orange to within 62-56 before the Irish held on as Jerian Grant sank four free throws in the final 32 seconds.

It was the first time the Irish have beaten a top-ranked team since 1987 when they defeated North Carolina, also in South Bend. One of the Irish’s most dramatic victories over a No. 1 came in 1974, when they stopped UCLA’s 88-game winning streak by 71-70.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was denied his 877th career victory, which would have put him in sole possession of fourth place among Division I men’s coaches.