68 team field for NCAA it's official

[bodoyle]

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... s-68-teams" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... bsturner/1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dbackjon]

Don't like it. Either expand to 96, or stay at 65 (prefer back to 64).

this will only put more of the small conferences in play in games.

[∞∞∞]

Woot! 68 is fine, and three more bubble teams getting in is around the number of teams that are borderline every year. Still have doubts for the future, but a reprieve is better than 96 teams for now.

[89Hen]

[CrackerRiley]

Woot! 68 is fine, and three more bubble teams getting in is around the number of teams that are borderline every year. Still have doubts for the future, but a reprieve is better than 96 teams for now.

Those three bubbles teams getting in will create 3 more bubble teams to take their place.

I see no point in going from 64(5) to 68. I say 96 or nothing.

[DJH]

This will work just fine. There will be a play-in game for each region now, which makes sense. And now, there will no longer be the regional games, rather every game will be on TV on CBS or a Turner station. And that is good news for everybody.

Just be happy it didn't go to 96.

[Shellin]

This will work just fine. There will be a play-in game for each region now, which makes sense. And now, there will no longer be the regional games, rather every game will be on TV on CBS or a Turner station. And that is good news for everybody.

Just be happy it didn't go to 96.

[OhioHen]

Three more at-large spots for the "Power Six" (aka BCS) conferences and six more "little guys" who have to play on Tuesday for the "right" to face a number one seed. No benefit in the change of numbers.

Good news on broader television coverage, though.

[EPJr]

reasonable compromise for now

[Seawolf97]

Three more at-large spots for the "Power Six" (aka BCS) conferences and six more "little guys" who have to play on Tuesday for the "right" to face a number one seed. No benefit in the change of numbers.

Good news on broader television coverage, though.

Have to agree. Little guys will all get quasi play in games for the right to face a #1 in the second round. Oh well it is still the Big Dance. And all games televised.

[EPJr]

Don't like it. Either expand to 96, or stay at 65 (prefer back to 64).

this will only put more of the small conferences in play in games.

CONFERENCES LIKELY TO PLAY ON TUESDAY

SUMMIT LEAGUE
AMERICA EAST
SOUTHLAND
PATRIOT
BIG SOUTH
MEAC
NORTHEAST
SWAC

[ASUG8]

Woot! 68 is fine, and three more bubble teams getting in is around the number of teams that are borderline every year. Still have doubts for the future, but a reprieve is better than 96 teams for now.

There will always be borderline teams until everybody gets included - here's where we're headed, where nobody is sad and everybody leaves a winner....

[EPJr]

How about a suggestion that no automatic qualifier play on Tuesday

the last 4 bubble teams in and the last 4 bubble teams that used to be out play.

winners get 12 seeds

losers get top 4 seeds in NIT

http://www.nysportsday.com/2010/04/23/f ... ust-great/

[Shellin]

How about a suggestion that no automatic qualifier play on Tuesday

the last 4 bubble teams in and the last 4 bubble teams that used to be out play.

winners get 12 seeds

losers get top 4 seeds in NIT...first time I've seen that suggested, but I like it a lot. That way, the undeserving BCS teams that get those last few spots will at least have a consolation prize should they lose on Tuesday.

http://www.nysportsday.com/2010/04/23/f ... ust-great/

I personally think that is the best thing the NCAA could do. I would rather watch Virginia Tech play Arizona State or something like that for the final spots than watch 4 small schools get sent home after winning their conference tournament.

[Fresno St. Alum]

Don't like it. Either expand to 96, or stay at 65 (prefer back to 64).

this will only put more of the small conferences in play in games.

Shellin, exactly!
Agree, 64 no play in. If they must do 68. Make the 12 seeds (last 4 in play what would have been the last 4 out for the 12 seed.) So 2010. Virginia Tech vs UTEP, Miss St. vs. Utah St. etc...

Do you guys remember in the late 80s and maybe 1990-91 they had 3 playin games except it didn't count for the Tourney. St.Francis(PA) won theirs in 1990 or 1991.

[EPJr]

The final four at-large teams and final four automatic qualifiers in the newly minted 68-team NCAA men's basketball tournament field will meet for the right to enter the traditional 64-team draw, tournament selection committee chairman Dan Guerrero announced Monday.

The "First Four" will be played either the Tuesday or Wednesday after Selection Sunday. The winners of the four games will advance to what will now be called the "second round" on either Thursday or Friday. The newly named third round -- with 16 games -- will be Saturday and Sunday. The rest of the tournament -- regional semifinals (Sweet 16) and regional finals (Elite Eight) -- will remain as they have been, as will the Final Four, which is set for Houston in 2011.

The games will be televised on TruTv (formerly CourtTV), which is available in 93 million homes, said NCAA vice president Greg Shaheen, who manages the NCAA tournament. CBS, Turner, TBS and TruTV are in their first year of a $10.8 billion, 14-year television agreement. ESPN had carried the tournament's opening-round game in previous years.

Dayton, which had been the host site for the opening-round game, is the likely destination for the games but there could be other sites looked at for future First Four games beyond 2011, Guerrero said. When the winners would play in the second round is still to be determined but one aspect is certain: If teams meet on Tuesday they would feed into a Thursday format, and the Wednesday winners would play on Friday if the First Four is split into two days.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/stor ... pn_5374116

[TigerStripe]

I'm cool with this.

I'm just wondering just how stupid the NCAA will get with this.