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Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner, calls for ‘fresh look’ regarding March Madness expansion
By Michael Daly
Published:
Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner, is focused on expanding the field of competitors in the NCAA Tournament.
This would be part of a “fresh look” that Sankey wants for college basketball’s premier postseason tournament. If the “fresh look” that Sankey desires holds true, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament could add more teams.
News: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey wants a “fresh look” at the NCAA basketball tournaments, perhaps with an eye toward expanding the field.https://t.co/2FWTur3zMX
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) August 12, 2022
Currently, March Madness has 68 teams in the tournament field. In 2011, March Madness expanded from 64 teams to 68 teams with the First Four round in Dayton, Ohio. If more teams are added, the first round could be longer than the usual two days leading up to the rest of the NCAA tournament.
As the SEC commissioner, Sankey has several schools each year who compete for a national championship in college basketball. With an expanded field, more schools from the SEC could make March Madness. Sankey noted how Texas A&M narrowly missed a bid to the NCAA tournament (Via Sports Illustrated):
“I thought [SEC member] Texas A&M should have been in the field in basketball [last season],” Sankey says. “People didn’t agree. But the way they played at the end of the year, I firmly think they were one of the better teams in the country. I’m biased. But somebody else, Dayton was one of the first four out.”
Texas A&M had to settle for the NIT in 2022. If Sankey gets his wish, more teams on the bubble could make an appearance in March Madness.