For the first time, a total of 68 teams will enter the tournament.[1] Thirty of the thirty-one automatic bids teams will be given to the program that wins their conference tournament. The remaining automatic bid will go to the Ivy League regular season champion since they do not hold a conference tournament. The remaining 37 teams will be granted "at-large" bids, which are extended by the NCAA Selection Committee.
The Selection Committee will rank the entire field from 1 to 68, then split them into 17 teams to create four regionals. The final four at-large teams and the final four automatic qualifiers will play in a "First Four".[2] The four winners of those games advance to the main draw of the tournament to play a higher seed. Two of the 16th and 17th seeds will play against each other in a pair of First Four games, with the winners will play a #1 seed; the last four at-large teams playing in the other two First Four round games will have the winner to likely face either a #4 or #5 seed.
what about a play in game? no floaters?
ReplyDeleteYes, the Floaters and some others will be participating in the play-in games. That is tradition. It will never change.
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