Tournament Expansion News!

[SelectionSunday]

"GophersNow Tubby's chances at making NCAA tourney for third straight year at MN gets even better with expansion to 68 teams. But does it mean the same?"

It's definitely kind of a smart a*s remark by Marcus, but there's still validity to it. Fact is, it'll now be a tad bit easier to make the tournament. Tubby quickly hit the first major benchmark of rebuilding a program, making the NCAA Tournament in Years 2 & 3 (quicker than most of us expected, I presume). I think now in Year 4 it's a reasonable expectation that the Gophers climb higher in the Big Ten standings & start winning games in the NCAAs.

 

[beowulftom]

If these rules were in place this year,

Which bubble teams would have been in?

and

What would the play-in games have looked like? (Would it be the 15 & 16 seeds because there are some good teams then?)

 

[beowulftom]

One more good thing that may come of this....

More pressure on BCS schools and coaches to make the tournament.

It actually may increase strength of schedule, and gives a lot of weight to the in-conference tournaments...

 

[mnboiler]

3 thoughts:

1. 68=Win. 96 would be terrible. If I ran the world the Tourny would be 64. No play-in games.

2. Having the final game on TNT is STUPID. It would be just as stupid as if it was on ESPN. I realize 96%(no facts just a high number I randomly picked) have both TNT and ESPN but it isn't the same. I really don't want to see ads for the NBA playoffs or Braves baseball while I'm watching the final game. The final game should be on broadcast TV, plain and simple. Some of the early games I really don't care.

3. TBS and TNT are fine television partners with CBS but, truTV really? thats the best they can do for a 4th TV partner. I expected better for the NCAA tourny. Come on NCAA and CBS do better.

 

[HopHead]

This is just my humble opinion, but I think the NCAA really wanted to go to 96 teams. Then they realized that if they did that and created more mid-week games in the second week (meaning lots more students missing classes) they would be contridicting themselves and all the arguments they use in shooting down a football playoff system. They have to have to be very careful not to kill either of their cash cows in the NCAA Basketball Tournament and the current football bowl system.

I would like to beleive they are only going to 68 teams because they listened to the fans instead of the $$$ but if they really listened to the fans they would have a football playoff by now.

 

[SelectionSunday]

If these rules were in place this year, which bubble teams would have been in?

Based on my final projections, I would have chosen as teams #66-68 Illinois (the one I missed), Seton Hall & Virginia Tech. William & Mary and Mississippi State would have been my first couple out.

What would the play-in games have looked like?

The #16 seeds were Arkansas-Pine Bluff, East Tennessee State, Lehigh, Vermont & Winthrop. Then we would have had 3 of the #15 seeds, Morgan State, North Texas, Robert Morris & UCSB join 'em. I don't think any combination of these schools would stir the masses next season on play-in Tuesday, though Bob Morris was quite plucky vs. Villanova.

 

[jovs]

Good find Gopherguy. Thanks.

Why only 4 to start? You have to figure it'll be 96 soon. Why 68 though?

Good grief.

At some point adding too many teams negates the importance of the regular season. If you are not in contention for the conference championship you would focus your development to get ready for the tournament. The regular season would not be that important. I don't think that would be good for college basketball. 68 is enough for me.

I also hope they exclude the automatic bids from playin games and make the last at large bids play those games.

 

[beowulftom]

If these rules were in place this year, which bubble teams would have been in?

Based on my final projections, I would have chosen as teams #66-68 Illinois (the one I missed), Seton Hall & Virginia Tech. William & Mary and Mississippi State (in that order) would have been my first couple out.

What would the play-in games have looked like?

The #16 seeds were Arkansas-Pine Bluff, East Tennessee State, Lehigh, Vermont & Winthrop. Then we would have had 3 of the #15 seeds, Morgan State, North Texas, Robert Morris & UCSB join 'em. I don't think any combination of these schools would stir the masses next season on play-in Tuesday, though Bob Morris was quite plucky vs. Villanova.

Man, you're good!

Sounds like those play-in games would be on the "4th partner" truTV....

 

[GopherJake]

I also hope they exclude the automatic bids from playin games and make the last at large bids play those games.

Totally agree. It would be like taking the bubble out of the hands of the committee and letting the players decide it on the court. Brilliant.

Winners get each of the four #12 seeds. I would think that would be much better ratings than 2 Low Life Conference champions playing to see who gets slaughtered by the #1 seed.