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ftsumterhokie OP
May 17, 2026 at 11:25 AM ET
Something to think about
What helps us become a lock for the tournament more? Throwing a million or two more at the program or expansion of the tourney to 76 teams? Getting rid of the automatic bid for conference tourney champs would help even more. Limit those lesser conferences to 1 bid only. Either an at-large or tourney champs. Their choice. Just my humble thoughts.... Maybe expanding the field is all we needed. Our team last year was capable of a Sweet 16 run had we gotten the chance with everyone healthy....

23 Replies

S
Scream_On_D
2mo
VT to SEC or Big; $$ is differentiator in all college/pro sports
A
atlhokie1
2mo
If you expand to everyone, I'm sure the expectations would rise from just
making the tournament to expecting 2 - 3 wins in the tourney.
V
VT ChemE 1986
2mo
Surprised the talking heads have not pointed out what this expansion
is really all about. This is clearly a move to Wipe out the NIT. That is where the eyeballs will be coming from.
AirborneHokie96 AirborneHokie96
2mo
The NIT just doesn't generate enough money per game to sustain things
in the NIL age. The costs for playing the game are now too much for a lot of schools when you look at the revenue generated.
G
GreenvilleVT
2mo
The nit is already dead based on their tv ratings.
vtbball80 vtbball80
2mo
It's really all about money. Expanded NCAA 1st round games would have.....
better TV ratings than the NIT games. The NCAA owns the NIT. It's a case of a "company" replacing a lower profitable product with a higher profitable product.
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GCHokie34
2mo
The NIT should be wiped out...
And the tournament should be 96 teams absorbing the NIT Reg season champ Conference Tournament champ 32(+) at-large bids
V
VT One
2mo
What do you think of my hare-brained idea of going to 128? First round
games are at the home courts of the top 64 teams. 1 hosts 128, 2 hosts 127, and so on. After the first round, rank the 64 team field 1-64, and resume a format at regional sites like we have now.
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GCHokie34
2mo
I dont hate re-seeding
To me, 96 gets the mid-major schools the opportunity they deserve without changing the at-large bids currently in place. Id even be in favor of a combination of our two ideas to go 96 and then re-seed after the first 64 teams play to make a final field of 64. If we go to 128 you have to double the number of at-larges which would encompass the CBI at that point. One thing in favor of your idea would be allowing teams to keep from rushing injured players back before theyre ready. If its easier to get in both with an auto bid and an at-large then I dont think VT pushes Tyler Johnson back when they did, even though he was technically healthy. Another couple weeks would have helped getting him strong again
V
VT One
2mo
Good points GC
A
ancient alien 2018
2mo
you do realize that 1/3 of D1 teams have a losing record. Do you
want a 13-17 team in the tournament? I sure don't. It's like everyone gets a trophy in T-ball.
V
VT One
2mo
Aren’t there several hundred eligible basketball teams?
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ancient alien 2018
2mo
300 and change D1 programs
E
EDGEMAN
2mo
You're talking about limiting the number of SEC & B1X schools.
How can they get their entire conference into the NCAAT if a losing record disqualifies their bottom feeders?
E
EDGEMAN
2mo
I still remember the year when the B1X guy was running the NCAAT...
...Selection Committee and a 16-15 B1X team made the tournament, so there is precedence for ~.500 teams (and even teams with losing records) to make the playoff, especially if the tournament expands.
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SteveInBaltimore
2mo
And there's about 360 teams in D1
You could still have 128 without having teams with losing records. But you would be adding all the 2nd and 3rd place teams in lower level conferences, and to be honest, few people are interested in seeing those teams.
K
KCHokie2
2mo
I opposed tourny expansion, but now I've done a complete 360.
** Edited by KCHokie2 at 5/18/2026, 6:24:45 AM
G
Gobbler-100
2mo
This is correct
V
VT ChemE 1986
2mo
I don’t think the NIT survives beyond its current contracts
E
EDGEMAN
2mo
Or it should be exclusively played at the beginning of the season.
VaTechHokiesACC VaTechHokiesACC
2mo
Great idea
VTHokie2000 VTHokie2000
2mo
FWIW there is or was a regular season version of the NIT where the
championship game was held on or around Thanksgiving Day. Given that it was competing against the NFL and college football, I don't know how many people tuned in to watch any of those games.
G
GoldCoast
2mo
That would be fun.