As we’ve noted in other recent columns lately, there is talk of the NCAA Tournament potentially growing to up to 90 teams in the future, and Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim didn’t shy away from the topic in a recent interview.
Per an article from college basketball insider Adam Zagoria, Boeheim seems to be in favor of March Madness growing. For me, I’m cool with it as well, so long as a larger tourney includes more mid-major programs, and not just power-conference squads.
Jim Boeheim says that over the years, the annual Big Dance has expanded on numerous occasions to its current field of 68. He says the argument by some detractors that growing the NCAA Tournament would dilute it doesn’t add up for him.
“We started this thing with 12 teams, right?” Boeheim said during a recent ACC conference call, according to Zagoria’s story. “Sixteen, 24, 32, 48, right? Nobody complained about it.”
Syracuse basketball boss Jim Boeheim supports further expansion of the NCAA Tournament.
Jim Boeheim notes that the number of teams in Division I men’s hoops has nearly doubled in size, to around 350. “So it’s only natural that you would expand the tournament,” Boeheim said. “People say so many stupid things, ‘It dilutes the tournament.’”
Boeheim being Boeheim here. Candid as ever. You have to love it. At least I do.
But I think he’s right. While on the face of it, a March Madness with 90 teams appears super large, but there are more squads in Division I men’s basketball than there were years ago.
As such, I don’t have issues with increasing the number of participants. Plus, as Boeheim said, there is a lot of parity in collegiate hoops these days, in the Atlantic Coast Conference and around the country.
Having a bigger field could be a lot of fun and add even more excitement to the NCAA Tournament, particularly on the opening weekend when there is usually a slew of upsets.
Maybe the Orange, moving forward, won’t reside on the proverbial bubble as often. I can dream, right?
Regarding the argument from some that expanding the Big Dance will dilute the event, Jim Boeheim makes a good point with this quote.
“The dilution of the tournament is what kills me. You really actually get more good teams in and then the bad teams will be out after the first weekend anyway, so you end up with a better field. … I think it’s a no-brainer.”