NCAA Tourney 2025

[Bay Area Billiken]

In 2025, the NET transferred 6 NCAA At Large Bids from the non-Power 5 to the Power 5 from the previously used RPI.  Each NCAA unit is worth ~$2M payable over 6 years.

The actual NCAA field had only 2 variances with the NET. 

[Bay Area Billiken]

Six (6) of the whopping 14 SEC teams in the NCAA Tourney had sub-.500, losing records in SEC conference play. 

[cheeseman]

3 hours ago, Bay Area Billiken said:

Six (6) of the whopping 14 SEC teams in the NCAA Tourney had sub-.500, losing records in SEC conference play. 

I get the SEC has a good run in the tourney so far but having a losing conference record and getting into the Dance devalues the conference schedule.  Somehow the NCAA has lost its perspective.

[White Pelican]

5 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

I get the SEC has a good run in the tourney so far but having a losing conference record and getting into the Dance devalues the conference schedule.  Somehow the NCAA has lost its perspective.

No, their perspective involves $'s and lots of 'em. They've managed to lose just about every court case they've had lately, but no, that goal of mucho dollars hasn't changed at all.

[Bay Area Billiken]

4 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

I get the SEC has a good run in the tourney so far but having a losing conference record and getting into the Dance devalues the conference schedule.  Somehow the NCAA has lost its perspective.

The entire NCAA Sweet 16 is composed of Power Football 4 conference members.
 

The only non-Power 5 conferences to receive NCAA Tourney at large bids were the Mountain West (3) and WCC (1). Thus, 33 of the 37 NCAA at large bids went to the Power 5, 29 of those 33 to the Football Power 4.
 

We are seeing the takeover of the NCAA Tourney. 

[billiken_roy]

Is it too much to ask these arrogant power hungry and greedy power 4 conferences to at least make it a requirement that all at large bids must have a better than 500 conference record?   I think that would be a the compromise the rest of Division 1 could accept.   

 

 

[TheA_Bomb]

41 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

I get the SEC has a good run in the tourney so far but having a losing conference record and getting into the Dance devalues the conference schedule.  Somehow the NCAA has lost its perspective.

 

25 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

Is it too much to ask these arrogant power hungry and greedy power 4 conferences to at least make it a requirement that all at large bids must have a better than 500 conference record?   I think that would be a the compromise the rest of Division 1 could accept.   

 

 

68 teams getting in devalued the conference schedule and it will probably be expanded adding more P5 spots. 

Sadly this seems to be the same path the CFP is on.

I think someone maybe it was 05 was onto it with the point that the focus on Quad 1 wins is the culprit. The NET isn't helping non P5. RPI seemed better.

You can't blame Conferences and schools for looking out for their best interests. These big schools spend a lot and are looking for ROI. We need non-P5 to work together and push back by looking out for our interests. Change the selection criteria and find a way to get non-conference games scheduled.

[cheeseman]

48 minutes ago, White Pelican said:

No, their perspective involves $'s and lots of 'em. They've managed to lose just about every court case they've had lately, but no, that goal of mucho dollars hasn't changed at all.

Not disagreeing but it still devalues it regardless of their personal intent

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, billiken_roy said:

Is it too much to ask these arrogant power hungry and greedy power 4 conferences to at least make it a requirement that all at large bids must have a better than 500 conference record?   I think that would be a the compromise the rest of Division 1 could accept.   

 

 

Totally agree but it will never happen.  It isn't right that a school is rewarded for simply being in a conference, while losing the majority of their games in that conference.  Oklahoma and Texas, 6-12 in conference.  Come on!  Give them a participation ribbon and let them play in the Crown Candy Invite with the rest of the conference losers.

[TheA_Bomb]

The focus on conference records is wrong. While Auburn and Mercyhurst are both D1 college basketball teams, they exist in different universes. Going above .500 in the Northeast Conference doesn't mean anything objectively compared to going .500 or less in the SEC. If conference records are a standard, should Conference tournament winners with a conference record below .500 be excluded from autobids?

What is the purpose of the NCAA Basketball tournament? To crown a champion, but it's also entertainment. The entertainment aspect may necessitate changes in how bids are allocated to allow for greater participation across the college basketball landscape. I think that could be made into an objective process that uses a computer rating system different from the NET. It can be tweaked to reduce the current advantage of power conferences, which is the focus on Quad 1 and 2 records. 

[cheeseman]

2 hours ago, TheA_Bomb said:

The focus on conference records is wrong. While Auburn and Mercyhurst are both D1 college basketball teams, they exist in different universes. Going above .500 in the Northeast Conference doesn't mean anything objectively compared to going .500 or less in the SEC. If conference records are a standard, should Conference tournament winners with a conference record below .500 be excluded from autobids?

What is the purpose of the NCAA Basketball tournament? To crown a champion, but it's also entertainment. The entertainment aspect may necessitate changes in how bids are allocated to allow for greater participation across the college basketball landscape. I think that could be made into an objective process that uses a computer rating system different from the NET. It can be tweaked to reduce the current advantage of power conferences, which is the focus on Quad 1 and 2 records. 

I have to disagree with the conference records mean nothing position.  I understand your point but the second place team in mid major conference could do just as well in the tournament.  As far as the conference tournament champion being the best team to represent the conference example goes - that is a decision made by the conference not the NCAA.  Can the NET be tweaked to be fairer of course and I would be all for that since if it is modified correctly then the imbalance we are seeing would be reduced.

[TheA_Bomb]

1 hour ago, cheeseman said:

I have to disagree with the conference records mean nothing position.  I understand your point but the second place team in mid major conference could do just as well in the tournament.  As far as the conference tournament champion being the best team to represent the conference example goes - that is a decision made by the conference not the NCAA.  Can the NET be tweaked to be fairer of course and I would be all for that since if it is modified correctly then the imbalance we are seeing would be reduced.

I don't understand what point you're trying to make about 2nd place mid-major teams doing just as well in the tournament.

Making conference records matter in determining at large bids when there is a complete disparity in the quality of conferences is not an objective measure.

Conference records matter for seeding for a tournament to get an automatic bid.

Conference records as Ws and Ls matter when feeding into other metrics accounted for in different rankings.

Comparing the conference records of teams not in the same conference is a pointless exercise. It doesn't provide the data necessary to determine which team is better. Central Connecticut was 14-2, and Arkansas was 8-10. I'm going out on a limb, and I'll say Arkansas is a better team.

[cheeseman]

1 hour ago, TheA_Bomb said:

I don't understand what point you're trying to make about 2nd place mid-major teams doing just as well in the tournament.

Making conference records matter in determining at large bids when there is a complete disparity in the quality of conferences is not an objective measure.

Conference records matter for seeding for a tournament to get an automatic bid.

Conference records as Ws and Ls matter when feeding into other metrics accounted for in different rankings.

Comparing the conference records of teams not in the same conference is a pointless exercise. It doesn't provide the data necessary to determine which team is better. Central Connecticut was 14-2, and Arkansas was 8-10. I'm going out on a limb, and I'll say Arkansas is a better team.

I never said to compare conference records.  All I said was that a second place mid major conference finisher in a competitive league is good enough to take the place of a 14 place finisher of a Power 4.  Conference records do matter even today - the problem is they put too much emphasis on a Power 4 under 500 in conference play.  Winning the SEC tourney this year for example had no real significance given 14 of 16 made it in. 

[brianstl]

Florida is an easy team to root far.

[Bay Area Billiken]

1 hour ago, cheeseman said:

I never said to compare conference records.  All I said was that a second place mid major conference finisher in a competitive league is good enough to take the place of a 14 place finisher of a Power 4.  Conference records do matter even today - the problem is they put too much emphasis on a Power 4 under 500 in conference play.  Winning the SEC tourney this year for example had no real significance given 14 of 16 made it in. 

A 6-12 also ran in any conference, even if there was a Heaven Conference, has no business being anywhere near an NCAA Tourney At Large bid, irrespective of some rigged metric used to justify its presence, in this year’s case, two of them, Texas and Oklahoma. 

[Bay Area Billiken]

19 minutes ago, brianstl said:

Florida is an easy team to root far.

Young Coach Todd Golden returns triumphantly to San Francisco.  We all know Texas never wins in California. 

[ACE]

11 hours ago, cheeseman said:

I get the SEC has a good run in the tourney so far but having a losing conference record and getting into the Dance devalues the conference schedule.  Somehow the NCAA has lost its perspective.

I 100% agree, These 6-12 teams SEC have shown they are not good against top competition. I'd rather bids go to good mid majors who don't get those opportunities against P6 teams. They need to reward P6 schools who are willing to play tough mid majors. 

A_Bomb is a P6 tool. He'll continue to be an apologist for the current system.

[BLIKNS]

Chomp

[HoosierPal]

10 minutes ago, ACE said:

I 100% agree, These 6-12 teams SEC have shown they are not good against top competition. I'd rather bids go to good mid majors who don't get those opportunities against P6 teams. They need to reward P6 schools who are willing to play tough mid majors. 

A_Bomb is a P6 tool. He'll continue to be an apologist for the current system.

Agree with you 100%.

Those 6-12 SEC teams belong in the Crown Candy Invite with the other conference losers...Utah 8-12, Butler 6-14, Nebraska 7-13. Arizona State 4-16, Georgetown 8-12, Washington St 8-10, DePaul 4-16, Cincy 7-13, UCF 7-13, Colorado 3-17, yes 3-17,  and USC 7-13. 

Give those 6-12 teams a shiny trophy for their trophy case, and then get the heck out of the way. 

If you can't play .500 in your conference, go to the Miss Congeniality Tourney.  

[Bay Area Billiken]

https://x.com/whitlockjason/status/1906186189385662623?s=46&t=jikm5nKg-NlIUjy2c9C9zw

 

https://x.com/whitlockjason/status/1906202700720607487?s=46&t=jikm5nKg-NlIUjy2c9C9zw

 

[thatskablamo]

11 hours ago, Bay Area Billiken said:

Young Coach Todd Golden returns triumphantly to San Francisco.  We all know Texas never wins in California. 

LBJ carried California in 64.

[Bay Area Billiken]

10 minutes ago, thatskablamo said:

LBJ carried California in 64.

Yes. Plus George H.W. Bush won California in 1988. And the Dallas Cowboys won NFL Championship Games at Kezar Stadium and  Candlestick Park, as well as a playoff game at the latter. I was thinking more recent history, as in this century. 

[BLIKNS]

Did any of them wear flowers in their hair?

[thatskablamo]

1 hour ago, Bay Area Billiken said:

Yes. Plus George H.W. Bush won California in 1988. And the Dallas Cowboys won NFL Championship Games at Kezar Stadium and  Candlestick Park, as well as a playoff game at the latter. I was thinking more recent history, as in this century. 

Great Kezar Stadium reference  for all you Dirty Harry fans out there, you know that place well! 

[Bay Area Billiken]

4 minutes ago, thatskablamo said:

Great Kezar Stadium reference  for all you Dirty Harry fans out there, you know that place well! 

I remember as a kid watching that 1971 (1970 season) NFC Championship Game from Kezar Stadium, with the sea gulls flying in. I certainly never thought I’d be moving out here 14 years later. But that game and Giants’ Baseball games from Candlestick Park did make an impression.