Is NCAA Tournament expanding to 96?
According to this article, it might happen sooner than later.
Self said he's all for it. College basketball has become so big, he said, with so many good players and good teams, regardless of conference affiliation, that it makes sense to expand the tournament field. He said he could see it jumping to 72 or 96 teams.
"Whatever it is, if it's 96 there's going to be 97, 98, 99 that feel like they got left out," Self said. "I think television will dictate so much of it. I think it's worth discussing, but I haven't seen anyone's formula that would be the right forumla. Football can't figure it out and they deal with less teams."
Texas Tech coach Pat Knight said he hasn't thought much about it. Although he said, "Sitting at 2-5 (in the Big 12), I'm all for it." Yes, he laughed. In all seriousness, Knight thinks if the field is expanded, it would increase the one thing everybody loves to see in the opening rounds: "There would be a lot more upsets if they expand the field."
And that makes TV people very, very happy.
Jeff Caplan
ESPNDallas.comTEAM RESOURCES
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