Increasing the match may destroy what makes it one of many biggest postseasons in all of sports activities.
Mid-major convention match champions may probably be additional marginalized to make room for mediocre main convention packages. As an alternative of champions from smaller conferences routinely being within the 64-team discipline, 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 definitely do not bode nicely for basketball conferences exterior the ACC, Large 12, Large East, Large Ten and SEC.
“If in case you have a match that is obtained 68 groups in it, you are going to have a bunch of groups which might be amongst what most individuals would contemplate … the very best 68 or 70 groups within the nation that are not going to make the match, interval, since you obtained an entire 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 profitable 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 had been those enjoying within the First Eight/Ten. It might nonetheless be utterly pointless.
In any case, Baker’s logic is foolish. Do we actually want to change the match so school basketball’s 68th and 69th finest groups could make the sector? Critically?
It is absurd.
Groups on the reduce line are there for a motive. All have flaws and justifications for being excluded. Final 12 months, for instance, the final 4 groups out of the sector had 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 unnoticed of the sector.
Watching mid-majors topple packages with extra sources is a part of the NCAA Event’s appeal. We’ll possible see much less of these if the sector expands. As an alternative, we’re extra more likely to get video games with groups who had been afterthoughts of their conferences. How enjoyable.
March Insanity is ok as is. Baker’s push for enlargement will solely dilute a product that does not want fixing.
