Increasing the match might break what makes it one of many biggest postseasons in all of sports activities.
Mid-major convention match champions might probably be additional marginalized to make room for mediocre main convention packages. As a substitute of champions from smaller conferences robotically being within the 64-team subject, they may 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 effectively for basketball conferences outdoors the ACC, Large 12, Large East, Large Ten and SEC.
“If in case you have a match that is bought 68 groups in it, you are going to have a bunch of groups which might be amongst what most individuals would contemplate … the most effective 68 or 70 groups within the nation that are not going to make the match, interval, since you bought 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 would 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 might nonetheless be fully pointless.
In any case, Baker’s logic is foolish. Do we actually want to change the match so faculty basketball’s 68th and 69th finest groups could make the sector? Significantly?
It is absurd.
Groups on the reduce line are there for a cause. 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, 9/11 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 packages with extra assets is a part of the NCAA Match’s attraction. We’ll doubtless see much less of these if the sector expands. As a substitute, we’re extra more likely to get video games with groups who have been afterthoughts of their conferences. How enjoyable.
March Insanity is ok as is. Baker’s push for growth will solely dilute a product that does not want fixing.
