Increasing the match may destroy what makes it one of many biggest postseasons in all of sports activities.
Mid-major convention match champions may doubtlessly be additional marginalized to make room for mediocre main convention applications. As an alternative of champions from smaller conferences mechanically being within the 64-team subject, they could be relegated to the First Eight/Ten on a Tuesday or Wednesday, when fewer eyes are on the match.
When the sector expanded to 68, the NCAA put 4 mid-major champions within the First 4 in two 16-seed versus 16-seed video games.
Baker’s feedback on Thursday actually do not bode nicely for basketball conferences outdoors the ACC, Large 12, Large East, Large Ten and SEC.
“In case you have a match that is obtained 68 groups in it, you are going to have a bunch of groups which are amongst what most individuals would take into account … one of the best 68 or 70 groups within the nation that are not going to make the match, interval, since you obtained a complete bunch of people that win their convention tournaments who aren’t in that group.”
If the match expands, it should not come on the expense of groups who earned their bid by successful a convention match.
We might be a bit extra receptive to a transfer to 72 or 76 groups if these groups vying for at-large berths have been those taking part in within the First Eight/Ten. It could nonetheless be utterly pointless.
In spite of everything, Baker’s logic is foolish. Do we actually want to change the match so school basketball’s 68th and 69th greatest groups could make the sector? Severely?
It is absurd.
Groups on the reduce line are there for a purpose. All have flaws and justifications for being excluded. Final yr, for instance, the final 4 groups out of the sector have been West Virginia (19-13, 10-10 in Large 12), Indiana (19-13, 10-10 in Large Ten), Ohio State (17-15, September 11 in Large Ten) and Boise State (26-11, 14-6 in Mountain West). Nobody misplaced sleep over them being ignored of the sector.
Watching mid-majors topple applications with extra sources is a part of the NCAA Event’s attraction. We’ll seemingly see much less of these if the sector expands. As an alternative, we’re extra prone to get video games with groups who have been afterthoughts of their conferences. How enjoyable.
March Insanity is okay as is. Baker’s push for enlargement will solely dilute a product that does not want fixing.
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