TULSA, Okla. -- The commissioner for Conference USA met with University of Tulsa officials Thursday but had not extended an invitation to become a member, athletic director Judy MacLeod said.

Conference USA officials first contacted Tulsa on Tuesday, the same day league presidents approved a reconfiguration plan.

The university confirmed Thursday evening that MacLeod and Tulsa President Bob Lawless had met with Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky on the TU campus.

"We had a very productive meeting. Both parties agree that there is a basis for going forward with further discussions," MacLeod said.

The university declined further comment on whether Tulsa would consider leaving the Western Athletic Conference.

Conference USA is forming contingency plans for the expected departure of Louisville, Cincinnati, DePaul and Marquette to the Big East. Army is also leaving the conference after the 2004 season.

Conference officials have contacted Rice, Tulsa, Marshall and Southern Methodist, and media reports indicate that Central Florida is the other target.

The Big East is seeking to reload after the Atlantic Coast Conference picked Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College to expand to 12 teams.

Lawless has said in the past that Tulsa would like to be in a league with schools that are closer geographically.

The WAC, which Tulsa joined in 1996 after eight schools left to form the Mountain West conference, includes Hawaii, San Jose State and Fresno State -- each thousands of miles from Tulsa.

Banowsky did not return a phone call seeking comment. Houston television station KRIV said Banowsky spent more than an hour meeting with Rice President Malcolm Gillis Thursday.

Depending on its makeup, the conference would allow Tulsa to save money on travel expenses and play other small, private schools.

"I think it will give us more competition and variety of teams," said Tulsa junior DeVonne Harrison, who runs hurdles on the track team. "In the WAC, not a lot of the schools have teams in all the sports."

Only five WAC schools -- Tulsa, Boise State, Fresno State, Rice and Texas-El Paso -- have men's track teams, Harrison said.

Freshman volleyball player Kasi Dickson would relish an opportunity to play Conference USA member Tulane every year. Twin sister Kelli plays for the Green Wave and gained bragging rights when they beat Tulsa 3-0 in nonconference play Sept. 19.

"I could get a little revenge," Kasi Dickson said.