The MAC should DEFINITELY be on board with this.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basket...-february/

Sounds good and makes sense. At first I was thinking this would essentially be what ESPN's bracket buster event was but AAC, MWC, etc. would be participating. It would still exclude the six biggest conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) that make up most of the NCAA tournament selections.

Yes, I agree, this will be great for college basketball, especially for conferences like the MAC and MVC.

(05-03-2022 10:03 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  Sounds good and makes sense. At first I was thinking this would essentially be what ESPN's bracket buster event was but AAC, MWC, etc. would be participating. It would still exclude the six biggest conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) that make up most of the NCAA tournament selections.

It sounds like the Bracket Buster but with higher profile non- P6 conferences and less lower profile Mid-Majors.
I love seeing OOC games during conference play, but this seems to help the multi-bid Non-P6 teams more than the rest of the mid majors.

I wouldn't be surprised down the road thay try to steer the upper half of the DIV 1 conferences to the NCAA tourney and the bottom half to the NiT.

(05-04-2022 07:53 AM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  

(05-03-2022 10:03 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  Sounds good and makes sense. At first I was thinking this would essentially be what ESPN's bracket buster event was but AAC, MWC, etc. would be participating. It would still exclude the six biggest conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) that make up most of the NCAA tournament selections.

It sounds like the Bracket Buster but with higher profile non- P6 conferences and less lower profile Mid-Majors.
I love seeing OOC games during conference play, but this seems to help the multi-bid Non-P6 teams more than the rest of the mid majors.

I wouldn't be surprised down the road thay try to steer the upper half of the DIV 1 conferences to the NCAA tourney and the bottom half to the NiT.

we had some debate on this at the toledo board. I'd say those multi-bid non P6 schools are still often underrepresented with at large bids, so it should help them. however, it also helps leagues like the MAC who rarely get at large teams, because now their top team or two will get both a couple more highly ranked non-conf opponents and a strong and unique Feb home game when fan interest is high and students are in session. the current system is no good for the MAC, and while this addition would probably help the AAC and A10 a little more it would occasionally help the MAC or CUSA or Sun Belt.

(05-05-2022 03:24 AM)pono Wrote:  

(05-04-2022 07:53 AM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  

(05-03-2022 10:03 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  Sounds good and makes sense. At first I was thinking this would essentially be what ESPN's bracket buster event was but AAC, MWC, etc. would be participating. It would still exclude the six biggest conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) that make up most of the NCAA tournament selections.

It sounds like the Bracket Buster but with higher profile non- P6 conferences and less lower profile Mid-Majors.
I love seeing OOC games during conference play, but this seems to help the multi-bid Non-P6 teams more than the rest of the mid majors.

I wouldn't be surprised down the road thay try to steer the upper half of the DIV 1 conferences to the NCAA tourney and the bottom half to the NiT.

we had some debate on this at the toledo board. I'd say those multi-bid non P6 schools are still often underrepresented with at large bids, so it should help them. however, it also helps leagues like the MAC who rarely get at large teams, because now their top team or two will get both a couple more highly ranked non-conf opponents and a strong and unique Feb home game when fan interest is high and students are in session. the current system is no good for the MAC, and while this addition would probably help the AAC and A10 a little more it would occasionally help the MAC or CUSA or Sun Belt.

Good point, I hope it can help the MAC get an extra bid.
I agree, it should bring back some excitement to the campus to see a good matchup during the blase routine of conference play.

I used to like back in the late 80's when you would see an Illinois v Arizona or DePaul v NC State during conference play. I wonder if they found out at the time that the late season OOC game was more of a hindrance than a help to get into the tourney.

What would help the MAC the most get a second bid is if the 4 highest regular season champions outside the at-large bids receive a bid.

MAC almost every year has a regular season champion in the Top 50 or 60 right outside the bubble.