For those who have no place in your heart for mid-major schools who can achieve when given the opportunity, please stop reading this entry right now. There will be many posts giving love to the major conference schools, and not just the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
This post is actually giving praise to a tournament format rather than bashing it (see BCS).
First, there are 16 teams, eight of which are from "major" conferences (and nine if you count Gonzaga). Among the mid-majors, Belmont, Gonzaga, Iona, UNC-Wilmington, and Winthrop made the NCAA Tournament last season. Butler, who has already defeated Notre Dame and Indiana in this year's installment, is always on the periphery of the NCAAs if they are not in the tournament and wreacking havoc.
Secondly, the new regional structure allows for fans from mid-majors to actually travel to the games. There's no need for an East Coast team to travel to The Pit or vice versa with this format.
Third, this gives an opportunity for good mid-major schools to showcase their ability - albeit before the team gels - on national television. Most advocates for mid-majors will agree that a distorted view is better than no view at all.
Fourth, and most obviously, it gives an opportunity for mid-majors to play [and win] against schools from major conferences on somewhat neutral courts. Even in today's landscape of college basketball after George Mason's shocking Final Four berth, mid-major schools are unable to schedule home and home series with major conference schools. The reason is the fear of being a double-digit loss team from a major conference who is overlooked by the NCAAs because of a loss to a mid-major away from the friendly confines of their home arena.
These fears are legit, so long as the NCAA continues to invite these same mediocre teams from major conference schools who avoid to schedule road games against quality mid-major schools. That is, if they decide to schedule any games against quality mid-majors. Nevertheless, the new NIT structure allows for mid-major schools to gain exposure and quality wins by playing on neutral courts, even if the tournament selection committee does not consider these to be as strong. This is a good thing - a very good thing.
This post is actually giving praise to a tournament format rather than bashing it (see BCS).
First, there are 16 teams, eight of which are from "major" conferences (and nine if you count Gonzaga). Among the mid-majors, Belmont, Gonzaga, Iona, UNC-Wilmington, and Winthrop made the NCAA Tournament last season. Butler, who has already defeated Notre Dame and Indiana in this year's installment, is always on the periphery of the NCAAs if they are not in the tournament and wreacking havoc.
Secondly, the new regional structure allows for fans from mid-majors to actually travel to the games. There's no need for an East Coast team to travel to The Pit or vice versa with this format.
Third, this gives an opportunity for good mid-major schools to showcase their ability - albeit before the team gels - on national television. Most advocates for mid-majors will agree that a distorted view is better than no view at all.
Fourth, and most obviously, it gives an opportunity for mid-majors to play [and win] against schools from major conferences on somewhat neutral courts. Even in today's landscape of college basketball after George Mason's shocking Final Four berth, mid-major schools are unable to schedule home and home series with major conference schools. The reason is the fear of being a double-digit loss team from a major conference who is overlooked by the NCAAs because of a loss to a mid-major away from the friendly confines of their home arena.
These fears are legit, so long as the NCAA continues to invite these same mediocre teams from major conference schools who avoid to schedule road games against quality mid-major schools. That is, if they decide to schedule any games against quality mid-majors. Nevertheless, the new NIT structure allows for mid-major schools to gain exposure and quality wins by playing on neutral courts, even if the tournament selection committee does not consider these to be as strong. This is a good thing - a very good thing.
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