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?