Jeff BorzelloESPN staff writer2 minutes to read
The NCAA acknowledged Thursday that it discussed a possible expansion of the NCAA Tournament at this week’s NCAA Men’s Division I Men’s Basketball Committee meeting, but the organization also said an expansion of the field is “not imminent.”
In January, the NCAA Division I Transformation Commission released a report recommending several changes in college sports, including allowing 25% of teams in sports sponsored by at least 200 schools to compete in annual championship events. For men’s and women’s basketball, that could mean going from 68 teams to as many as 90 teams.
Division One Board of Directors He accepted the recommendation later that month.
“The committee should be good stewards of the Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament,” said Dan Javitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball. “They are committed to doing their due diligence by looking at some different models to make an informed decision that is in the best interest of the tournament, and that may include deciding against expansion.”
“The committee and staff will continue to study options and gather feedback from the various constituents,” Javitt said. “It remains to be seen whether the tournament expands or not.”
The NCAA Men’s Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, and later moved to 65 teams in 2001 and 68 teams in 2011.
SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland will chair the committee beginning in September, and North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham has been named vice president and will then chair the committee in 2024-25.
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