NCAA expansion to 68 great for teams, but is it for tourney itself?

MCT file photo

UNC Wilmington's Dominique Lacy (left), a Florence native, called the expansion a "great opportunity."

The NCAA announced Thursday that it will expand its men's basketball tournament by three teams from 65 to 68 next season.

So is this a good or bad thing?

Well, it's great for the teams and players. UNC Wilmington's Dominique Lacy of Florence called it a "great opportunity." Few can argue with that from a player or team's standpoint.

But is it good for the actual tournament? I tend to think not. Here's my reasoning, and of course much of this will have to be based on hypotheticals.

Several teams - Virginia Tech and Mississippi were the most argued for - barely missed out on the NCAA tournament this spring. They were this year's so-called "most-snubbed" teams. It happens every year.

Most of those teams end up in the National Invitation Tournament, which at one time was all there was, by the way! So, let's take a look at the NIT's Final Four and see who made it.

Dayton, Mississippi, North Carolina and Rhode Island were the last four, with Dayton beating North Carolina in the championship game. Hmm ... none of the major "NCAA-snubbed teams" won the NIT or got to the title game and only one - Ole Miss - reached that tournament's Final Four. On top of that, Mississippi was only so far into the NCAA discussion because its SEC tournament run made them look great down the stretch after a somewhat so-so season.

Virginia Tech - the team with probably the biggest gripe at tournament selection time - made it only to the final eight of the NIT.

Now, I'm sure this isn't the case every year. But - and I believe Bob Knight was the only who brought up this point at the time - it's not like the last team in has ever gone on to win it all. And that's what it's all about, right?

So who wins? The last couple at-large teams will now get in. TV, which will have more games to show. Even casual fans, who get more March Madness.

Who loses? Bottom-feeding conference tournament winners, who likely will have to be in play-in games. The NIT, which likely will lose a couple more power-conference teams. And hardcore fans, who think the tournament was fine at 64.

I think 68 was unnecessary. I thought 65 could have stayed 64 back then.

At least the idea of 96 is off the table - for now.