This is what CBB should do

[rmilia1]

Here's an idea I think would be awesome. Most of us don't like the tourney at 68 and prefer 64. Likewise most of us know the low major teams aren't as good as many teams left out of the tourney. So how bout this....

Next year we take the 16 REGULAR season Champs from the 16 lowest rated conferences and the teams play a tournament where the winner of that tourney gets into the big dance. The other 15 teams get auto bids to the NIT or can be chosen as an at large. This tourney would take the place of those leagues conference tourneys. This would accomplish many things. It would make those leagues regular seasons important ( which they aren't now ), it would allow us 11 extra at large bids, it'd make first round games better, it'd highlight leagues overall strengths, it would make sure every team in the big dance was a quality team or at least competitive.

This year's low major tourney would've included VERMONT, FGCU, NORTH DAKOTA, WINTHROP, CAL IRVINE, MTSU, OAKLAND, PRINCETON, NC CENTRAL, MT ST MARY'S, UT MARTIN, BUCKNELL, NEW ORLEANS, SOUTH DAKOTA, TEXAS SOUTHERN, BAKERSFIELD..... Only 1 of these teams would receive an auto bid. The other would all still be eligible so let's assume the winner and 3 others get in. That would still leave at large bids for Illinois St, Syracuse, Iowa, Cal, Clemson, UGA, Houston and Illinois.

This would make every game in the 64 team bracket more competitive AND that low major play in tourney would be fucking awesome. Plus as I stated before it adds real importance to those leagues regular season titles. As it is now only 3 or 4 days out of their entire season is relevant. Thoughts?

 

[dcZONAfan]

No offense rmilia, but are you high?!?

You are taking away the thing that makes the tournament so exciting for most people, the 1st round cinderella upsets!

 

[jontaejones]

IMHO, every little thing you do ... play in game, first four, low-major 16 ... just takes away from the real tourney. I won't even get into the complications of your tourney, but just for argument's sake, how do choose the 16 conferences?

If anything, I might lean towards taking AWAY championship week, though that will never happen.

Also, the last the thing I would want to do is let in more mediocre major conference teams. K State is bad enough as is. I know they won, and they might advance further, but still. If you don't finish .500 in either overall or league, you shouldn't be going to the dance.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Illinois would be dancing without a coach lol

We would really be scraping the bottom of the barrel

 

[Hitman Hart]

Just go back to 64 teams. Making the NCAAT as exclusive as possible, while also being reasonable, is the way to go.

 

[tabascojet]

Just go back to 64 teams. Making the NCAAT as exclusive as possible, while also being reasonable, is the way to go.

heard bilas say one of the major reasons for the tourney expansion was a direct result of football realignment and new conferences (mwc, aac) getting more auto bids.....

 

[rmilia1]

No offense rmilia, but are you high?!?

You are taking away the thing that makes the tournament so exciting for most people, the 1st round cinderella upsets!

No you'd still get that. You'd have even bigger upsets actually because the quality of the low to mid manors making the tourney would he far far better. Sure there would not be as many of them but every one of them that made it would be capable. Now we get half of them that are not actually able to win a game

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I thought we was supposed to go to 96 teams a while back...still waiting

 

[rmilia1]

IMHO, every little thing you do ... play in game, first four, low-major 16 ... just takes away from the real tourney. I won't even get into the complications of your tourney, but just for argument's sake, how do choose the 16 conferences?

If anything, I might lean towards taking AWAY championship week, though that will never happen.

Also, the last the thing I would want to do is let in more mediocre major conference teams. K State is bad enough as is. I know they won, and they might advance further, but still. If you don't finish .500 in either overall or league, you shouldn't be going to the dance.

I just used the 16 lowest ranked RPI leagues from the previous year BUT you could obviously use a more advanced metric

 

[tabascojet]

I thought we was supposed to go to 96 teams a while back...still waiting

 

[rmilia1]

Illinois would be dancing without a coach lol

We would really be scraping the bottom of the barrel

Do you think Illinois St, Syracuse, Iowa etc have a better chance of winning a game than South Dakota St, New Orleans, Mount etc?

 

[rmilia1]

Just go back to 64 teams. Making the NCAAT as exclusive as possible, while also being reasonable, is the way to go.

Personally I'd rather go back to 48 and get rid of auto bids but I thought this was a good compromise

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Have never watched one second of that tournament.

For that matter, I haven't watched an NIT game since about 02 or 03

 

[mr.hockey4242]

So you thinknow Illinois St, Syracuse, Iowa Eyck have a better chance of winning a game than South Dakota St, New Orleans, Mount etc?

They do. But still when you get this far down these teams are not really worthy and including them is just taking away the award for the top teams to get an easier game. As it is the last 10ish at larges are already flawed and needing a fluke type run. Adding more just creates more disarray.

It's also more enjoyable seeing East Tennessee State knock off Florida then it is Syracuse.

 

[ericd7633]

IMO, the tournament is better with mid major to low major teams participating then middle of the road high major teams. I'm sorry, I just don't wanna see teams like Illinois, UGA, Cal etc get the opportunity as a 13/14 seed to beat a 3 seed. The 13/14/15 line is for mid to low major teams. If you're not a top 45 team, why the hell should you have an opportunity to play for/win a title?

 

[ericd7633]

Do you think Illinois St, Syracuse, Iowa etc have a better chance of winning a game than South Dakota St, New Orleans, Mount etc?

Well that's pretty obvious when you're comparing those teams to 16 seeds. A team like Penn State has a better chance to do that, doesn't mean Penn State should be in the tournament.

 

[tabascojet]

Have never watched one second of that tournament.

For that matter, I haven't watched an NIT game since about 02 or 03

liar!!

Spoiler

http://netitor.com/photos/schools/scar/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/back-to-back-nit-champs.pdf

 

[rmilia1]

They do. But still when you get this far down these teams are not really worthy and including them is just taking away the award for the top teams to get an easier game. As it is the last 10ish at larges are already flawed and needing a fluke type run. Adding more just creates more disarray.

It's also more enjoyable seeing East Tennessee State knock off Florida then it is Syracuse.

I get that and I agree but I was really just thinking about making the games better and adding value to low major regular season. Right now 2/3+ of CBB regular season games literally mean nothing

 

[rmilia1]

Well that's pretty obvious when you're comparing those teams to 16 seeds. A team like Penn State has a better chance to do that, doesn't mean Penn State should be in the tournament.

Neither would make it in my scenario. If you went to this type of thing you'd see a lot more upsets abd you'd see a 16 over av1 within 5 years. Plus the regular season would be so much better. The people that don't love CBB point to the regular season meaning nothing and they're actually pretty correct

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

liar!!

Spoiler

http://netitor.com/photos/schools/scar/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/back-to-back-nit-champs.pdf

Missed em both. Family emergency.