Coaches mixed on expansion
Associated Press
NEW YORK
It wouldn’t take an act of Congress, and in the overall scheme of things, expanding the field for the NCAA men’s basketball championship wouldn’t solve or create any problems for most Americans.
Then why have so many people offered so many opinions on something that’s only in the discussion stage, at best, and might not even happen?
Because the three-weekend, 65-team format has become as much a March staple as cold rain in the Northeast and the sound of batting practice in Florida and Arizona.
Talk about expanding the field, from three more teams — to take away the stigma of a lone play-in game — to as many as 96, is getting much of the attention as the 2010 tournament begins.
“I think 96 is too much. I really do. I think then the watering down does come into play,” said New Mexico coach Steve Alford, who led Indiana to the 1987 national championship. “I’m not in favor of 96, but I would be in favor of expanding it some.”
Texas coach Rick Barnes likes the way the current set up puts basketball front and center in the sports world.
“I don’t know why we want to expand it because I think it’s a good thing right now,” he said. “Obviously, every state has a chance to participate. It’s not like only big cities have a chance to participate.”
If the field is expanded, which teams should get invited becomes the hot topic. The mid-majors and lower Division I teams think it should be them who get the bulk of the new bids. Others are worried it would just be an excuse to get most of the “power” conference teams off the bubble and in the field.