Time to Expand the Tournament

[JCPanthers]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

How about 96 teams in the NCAA.

Teams 1-32 get 1st round byes.
Teams 33-96 play with winners moving onto 2nd round, losers to the NIT.

The NCAA would give auto bids to the conference tourney champs AND the conference regular season champs. It would put more emphasis on the regular season, in addition to improving competitiveness in the NCAA's. The NIT already gives teams who win their conference championship and lose their tourney championship an NIT auto bid.

I'm not a big fan of this idea, but I think it could be a nice compromise.

Someone actually called into Rima's show the other day and suggested that. I think it could really work.

[dragon]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

I think they should limit the number of seeds conferences can get to 5. That way if you can't finish better than mediocre in your conference you don't get in. This would open the door to more schools from smaller conferences to get in.

[UNIpanther99]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

I'm not in favor of expansion, but if it had to happen, to say 96, I would like to see the automatic qualifiers get first round byes. Let all of the at large schools play "play in" games. That seems the most fair to me.

[Panther789]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

I'm not in favor of expansion, but if it had to happen, to say 96, I would like to see the automatic qualifiers get first round byes. Let all of the at large schools play "play in" games. That seems the most fair to me.

Yeah, Robert Morris deserves a bye much more than Pitt.

[UNIpanther99]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

Yeah, Robert Morris deserves a bye much more than Pitt.

Robert Morris took care of business and won their tournament... Pitt did not. I think it could be a great way of expanding the NCAA tournament while maintaining the importance of the conference tournaments.

Otherwise expansion just equals the little guys (us included) having to win one more game before we are allowed up on the stage with our BCS bretheren.

[Panther789]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

Robert Morris took care of business and won their tournament... Pitt did not. I think it could be a great way of expanding the NCAA tournament while maintaining the importance of the conference tournaments.

Otherwise expansion just equals the little guys (us included) having to win one more game before we are allowed up on the stage with our BCS bretheren.

Pitt took care of business the entire year.

[UNIpanther99]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

Pitt took care of business the entire year.

So did Creighton and St. Mary's... How'd that work out for them?

The BCS schools have everything stacked in their favor already... they don't need anymore help.

[williebat]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

So did Creighton and St. Mary's... How'd that work out for them?

The BCS schools have everything stacked in their favor already... they don't need anymore help.

Creighton did not exactly take care of business the entire year. They lost to ULRA and Nebraska. They got unlucky and lost by like 2 point total but they win those games like they are suppose to win and they are in. Never mind those if they lose to ISU by 5 or 8 points they are probably in.

I wanted them in also and I believe they should have been in before Arizona but I can understand why they are not in. I think it was their resume and bad losses that left them out not their conference.

[bobsboy84]

Re: Time to Expand the Tournament

How about seeding 32 teams. Then add 64 more teams that play, regionally, at one of the 64 team's home court. Can anyone argue being left out of a field of 96? The 32 seeded teams can be bracketed from the get go. After the initial 32 games, the brackets can be finalized with the 32 winning teams. Projecting into the future, I think UNI could sell out the Mac Center playing IA, ISU, Drake, CU, NIU, or etc. and make lots of money for everybody.

I love opportunity to express opinion without threat of ridicule or embarrassment.

Go Panthers, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!