Ncaa Expansion To 96 Teams

[bdan2002]

Under the new proposal:

- Top 8 seeds in each region will get a first round bye

- Regular season and tournament champions (if different) would each get an automatic bid

So --

-- 16 v 17 - winner plays 1

-- 24 v 9 - winner plays 8

-- 21 v 12 - winner plays 5

-- 20 v 13 - winner plays 4

-- 22 v 11 - winner plays 6

-- 19 v 14 - winner plays 3

-- 23 v 10 - winner plays 7

-- 18 v 15 - winner plays 2

[CMJ]

I wonder if they're gonna give the Ivy league an exemption of some sort.

Still don't like this.

[hickoryhouse]

I don't think that I like it either, I think it waters down the tournament, makes the regular season less important for the big conferences and makes things like the NIT even less relevant.

i guess on a brighter note it would make the NIT easier to win if wehppen to win the conference but not the tournament.... still don't like it.

[Quoner]

I don't think that I like it either, I think it waters down the tournament, makes the regular season less important for the big conferences and makes things like the NIT even less relevant.

i guess on a brighter note it would make the NIT easier to win if wehppen to win the conference but not the tournament.... still don't like it.

I don't know. I'm excited to have a new way to devalue whatever the team accomplishes next year.

[CMJ]

If this goes thru, the NIT is no more, since the NCAA now owns and operates it(as of about 5 years ago).

I know alot of people could care less, but that would sadden me. It predates the NCAA tournament, and was more prestigious for at least a decade(the NCAA took league champs, but alot of the best basketball schools were independents). By the mid 50's or so the NCAA probably became more "important" - however it was still a huge deal to win the NIT probably until the mid 60's or so. Hell, Marquette even spurned the NCAA's in the early 70's(when they were ranked top 10 in the country) to play in the NIT. It probably wasn't until the mid 70's where the NIT started becoming seriously devalued as the NCAA tournament expanded beyond 32 teams and forbade anyone from doing what Maguire and Marquette did

Edited April 2, 2010 by CMJ

[untbowler]

So since the NCAA is so high on Academics, how does adding an extra few days of travel during the school year help the academics of said students?

I am just saying.

[MeanGreenTexan]

I don't think that I like it either, I think it waters down the tournament, makes the regular season less important for the big conferences and makes things like the NIT even less relevant.

i guess on a brighter note it would make the NIT easier to win if wehppen to win the conference but not the tournament.... still don't like it.

If we happen to win the regular season conference title, but not the SBC tourney, then according to this format, we're still in. I agree with CMJ. I think this format is a NIT killer... too bad.

[UNT90]

So instead of 6 teams from the Big 12 getting in, now 10 will, and so on with the power 6 conferences. Don't mistake this as an olive branch to the small conferences. It isn't.

I hate this idea. Why mess with perfection?

[Ret Faculty Fan]

I thin this is an opportunity to add a considerable number of mid-majors who now get beat out by the so called power conferences. You are likely to find the whole tournament even more exciting.

[MeanGreen61]

I thin this is an opportunity to add a considerable number of mid-majors who now get beat out by the so called power conferences. You are likely to find the whole tournament even more exciting.

The NCAA is considering a move to 96 for one reason; MONEY. Mid-majors will have the same struggle for representation.

[Green P1]

Every college basketball team deserves a banner.

[GreenStreet]

I don't think that I like it either, I think it waters down the tournament, makes the regular season less important for the big conferences and makes things like the NIT even less relevant.

i guess on a brighter note it would make the NIT easier to win if wehppen to win the conference but not the tournament.... still don't like it.

Well it just means 15 seeds will be a two and done, instead of one.

[CMJ]

The NIT had 19 teams from outside the Power 6, so if the NIT is basically folded in, this year you'd have had that number in the Big Dance more than likely.

Still don't like it, but it may make it more palatable.

[GrandGreen]

Actually adding teams makes sense as there are a lot more teams since the last major change going to 64 teams. Above someone quoted that both the tournament and regular season champion would be assured a place. This would be good, assuring that more teams not associated with the power conferences would get in, but is it true? I have not seen this as part of the proposal. This would also seemingly put a lot of pressure at the bottom tier conferences to have someone other than the regular season conference champion be tournament champ.

I would like a ban on any team getting into the NCAA tournament that did not win their conference tournament or have a winning conference record. Won't happen, but I don't want to see 10 Big Twelve teams, 9 SEC, and 12 Big East Teams get into the Dance.

One great thing if it is true that the regular season championship gets an automatic bid is that it would make conference games much more important. I can also see playoffs established to determine the regular season championship. East versus West Division for example in the Belt. Hopefully with so much on the line, the regular season conference winner would not be determined by some insane tie breaking formula.

Edited April 3, 2010 by GrandGreen

[CMJ]

Now Lunardi doesn't always have the right pulse of things, but check out his response on who a 96 team field would benefit. Apparently the regular season conference champion getting a bid is not probable.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/31785

If that is the case, I have absolutely no use for a 96 team field.

[Censored by Laurie]

Now Lunardi doesn't always have the right pulse of things, but check out his response on who a 96 team field would benefit. Apparently the regular season conference champion getting a bid is not probable.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/31785

If that is the case, I have absolutely no use for a 96 team field.

No way the NCAA expands the tourney to make sure the SWAC has the chance to get two teams in. A few more middies will get bids...but for the most part this will only benefit the power conferences. It would surprise me to see a year where every Big East or ACC school gets a bid now.

[CMJ]

No way the NCAA expands the tourney to make sure the SWAC has the chance to get two teams in. A few more middies will get bids...but for the most part this will only benefit the power conferences. It would surprise me to see a year where every Big East or ACC school gets a bid now.

I don't see Depaul getting in anytime soon. The only reason we thought a second team from the SWAC would get in(hypothetically), is that's how this was originally sold. I always had doubts.