72-team NCAA Tournament

[PhilSimms11]

The 2024 tournament could look like this for the start.
Four regions of 18 with 15 vs 16 and 17 vs 18 in the "First Eight" if you will.

(17)Stetson (22-12) vs (18)Wagner (16-15)---vs (1)UConn (31-3)
(17)Longwood (21-13) vs (18)Howard (18-16)---vs (1)Houston (30-4)
(17)St Peter's (19-13) vs (18)Grambling (20-14)---vs (1)Purdue (29-4)
(17)So Dakota St (22-12) vs (18)Montana St (17-17)---vs (1)No Carolina (27-7)

(15)Akron (24-10) vs (16)W Kentucky (22-11)---vs (2)Tennessee (24-8)
(15)Oakland (23-11) vs (16)Long Beach St (21-14)---vs (2)Arizona (25-8)
(15)Charleston (27-7) vs (16)Colgate (25-9)---vs (2)Marquette (25-9)
(15)Samford (29-5) vs (16)Morehead St (26-8)---vs (2)Iowa St (27-7)

-----------------------or----------------------------
Strictly the lowest seeded at-larges in the "First Eight".
(8)Utah St (27-6) vs (8)FAU (25-8)
(8)Miss St (21-13) vs (8)Michigan St (19-14)
(9)Texas A&M (20-14) vs (9)TCU (21-12)
(9)Northwestern (21-11) vs (9)Nevada (26-7)
(the 8-9 winners could match up in the next round)

(10)Colorado (24-10) vs (10)Boise St (22-10)
(10)Virginia (23-10) vs (10)Colorado St (24-10)
(12)Oklahoma (20-12) vs (12)Seton Hall (20-12)
(12)Indiana St (28-6) vs (12)Pitt (22-11)

 

[PhilSimms11]

The NCAA is proposing expansion to 72 or 76 teams. The anticipation is driving everyone wild...probably. Stay tuned.

 

[Dead2009]

At this rate we'll have over 100 teams in the tournament and any bad team can just weasel their way in.

 

[PhilSimms11]

At this rate we'll have over 100 teams in the tournament and any bad team can just weasel their way in.

That's happening now to an extent, but I get what you're saying. I'm all for calling them play-ins outside of 64 teams. Once it's down to 64 it's officially the NCAA Tournament.

 

[PhilSimms11]

How 2025 could look...with 76 teams.

1-seeds	2-seeds	3-seeds	4-seeds	5-seeds	6-seeds	7-seeds	8-seeds
Auburn (28-5)	Tennessee (27-7)	Texas Tech (25-8)	Tex A&M (22-10)	Michigan (25-9)	BYU (24-9)	UCLA (22-10)	Louisville (27-7)
Duke (31-3)	Alabama (25-8)	Iowa St (24-9)	Purdue (22-11)	Clemson (27-6)	Illinois (21-12)	Marquette (23-10)	Gonzaga (25-8)
Houston (30-4)	Michigan (27-6)	Kentucky (22-11)	Maryland (25-8)	Oregon (24-9)	Missouri (22-11)	St Marys (28-5)	UConn (23-10)
Florida (30-4)	St Johns (30-4)	Wisconsin (26-9)	Arizona (22-12)	Memphis (29-5)	Ole Miss (22-11)	Kansas (21-12)	Creighton (24-10)

9-seeds	10-seeds	11-seeds	12-seeds	13-seeds	14-seeds	15-seeds	16-seeds
New Mexico (26-7)	Miss St (21-12)	VCU (28-6)	TBD	Yale (22-7)	Lipscomb (25-9)	TBD	TBD
Utah St (26-7)	Baylor (19-14)	UC San Diego (30-4)	TBD	High Point (29-5)	Troy (23-10)
Drake (30-3)	West VA (19-13)	TBD	McNeese (27-6)	Akron (28-6)	UNC Wilm (27-7)
Colorado St (25-9)	Indiana (19-13)	TBD	Liberty (28-6)	Grand Can (26-7)	Montana (25-9)

Play-in games...
11-seed
San Diego St (21-9) vs Xavier (21-11)
Boise St (24-10) vs Dayton (22-10)

12-seed
Bradley (26-8) vs George Mason (26-8)
UC Irvine (28-6) vs San Francisco (24-9)

15-seed
Robert Morris (26-8) vs CConn (25-7)
Utah Valley (25-8) vs No Colorado (25-9)
Omaha (22-12) vs SE Missouri St (21-12)
Chattanooga (24-9) vs Bryant (23-11)

16-seed
Norfolk St (24-10) vs Towson (22-11)
Alabama St (19-15) vs St Francis (PA) (16-17)
SIUE (22-11) vs Wofford (19-15)
American (22-12) vs Mt St Marys (22-12)

I gave some love to the mid-major regular season champions. This is an increase of 8 teams to 76.

Added (14)--Boise St, Bradley, CConn, Chattanooga, Dayton, George Mason, Indiana, No Colorado, San Francisco, SE Missouri St, Towson, UC Irvine, Utah Valley, West Virginia

Removed (6)--Arkansas, Georgia, No Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Vanderbilt