Looks Like It's Official: NCAA Men's Basketball Field To Expand To 68 Teams

I like the idea of having the four play-in games match eight of the most borderline at-large teams for the 12 seeds. This year, it could have been something like New Mexico State vs. Illinois, UTEP vs. Ole Miss (or maybe Rhode Island), Utah State vs. Virginia Tech and Minnesota vs. Mississippi State. That would give you four very watchable games of teams from legitimate conferences that might have a chance to make some noise in the tournament, rather than just eight sad sacks playing for the right to get killed by a 1-seed. I mean, hell, there were several early-round NIT games that were better and more interesting than the NCAA play-in game and the 1-16 first-rounders.

 

You can't announce the field on Sunday and have play-in games on Monday. That's asinine. Oh, I forget, this is the NCAA we're talking about; anything is possible.

The story I read made a big point about how this new deal makes it possible for every game to be televised live for the first time. What am I missing? Every game is shown live now, albeit not on a national basis.

 

Thank God it's not 96. This is kind of silly but a huge relief compared to that ridiculousness.

 

No way that would work. Teams don't find out where they're headed until Sunday night. The Monday teams would have to be ready to leave for their game site within hours of finding out where they're playing.

 

Exactly. 96 would have been disastrous. A horrible idea.

 

They could easily announce the 16 seeds ahead of time, if that's the way they went with it. Most of the minor conferences play their tournaments earlier than the majors anyway.

 

I don't know why they keep doing the shitty play in games for the No. 16 seed.
I think they'd generate more interest - and create a better field - by having the last four or eight teams out play the last four or eight teams in for the Nos. 10 or 12 seed.

 

I'm just waiting for them to expand it so every team makes the tournament so...


EVERYONE GETS ICE CREAM!!!!

 

Shhhh, don't give them any ideas!!

I'll take 68 teams. 96 was tooooo much... plus I want to see how this cable/TV split shakes out.

 

The play in game was always in Dayton?

I had no idea.

Why?