DCDeac
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2011
- Messages
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I just don't get that argument at all. So, you don't want 2022 St. Peter's in the tournament or 2023 Farleigh Dickinson in the tournament? Their wins in the last two tournaments created the drama that made the NCAAT compelling.
As it is, there are 36 at large bids; so, a team essentially has to be top 40 to get an at large bid if they don't win the conference. I love WF basketball, but WF didn't deserve a bid this year. After being poised to get into the tournament, WF fell part the last three weeks of the season going 2-4 (being favored in every game). The NCAAT is not diminished at all by WF not getting a bid.
Oklahoma was the "first team out". They finished the year 2-6, and one of those two wins was in OT over a horrible OK State team. OU finished tied for 9th in the Big 12. They had every chance to play their way into the NCAAT, but TCU lead OU from start to finish in the Big 12 Tournament. Except for the few ardent OU basketball fans, no one is going to miss the 9th place Big 12 Sooners this week,
Power conference teams have every chance to play their way into the NCAAT; those that don't make it have no reason to blame the handful of smaller conference schools hat actually had to win a conference tournament to get into the dance. The best way to destroy the element that makes the NCAAT special and uniqure is to make it a 64 team playoff with just power conference teams. Do you really think a first round game between Utah and tOSU, instead of McNeese v. Gonzaga would make the NCAAT better?
Huh? I feel like you are responding to an argument I'm not making.
Using FDU as an example could not make less sense - they were already a First Four team. I'm not arguing for anyone to be "out of the tournament." Ph and others seem to be arguing for the First Four to replace the 4 automatic bids with 4 more of the last at-large bids. That's not happening so who cares?
St. Peters wasn't a play-in, but if you're asking me whether a 100-something St. Peters should have to suffer the tragedy of beating a 200-something team in the First Four to earn their 15 seed, instead of a top 50 Indiana team having to beat a top 60 team? Absolutely.
Oklahoma didn't lose a quad 2, 3, or 4 game this year. Yes, I think they deserve a spot at the expense of Longwood and Long Beach playing in a play-in game.
Completely understand folks disagreeing, but no need to twist my argument or try to pretend the current 4 team auto-bid elimination in the First Four doesn't exist.