• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 15, 2025

March Sadness? NCAA Tournament Snubs Leave New Round of Scars

  • Several coaches, and even a U.S. senator, lash out at the selection committee.
  • Mid-major entrants into the tournament again have an uphill climb.
St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino paces the sidline in the second half of a college basketball game between the St. John's Red Storm and the Xavier Musketeers, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, at Cintas Center in Cincinnati. The Xavier Musketeers won, 88-77.
Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

March Madness, ordinarily one of the most joyous events in sports, is becoming weighed down by hurt feelings and recriminations. 

The NCAA on Selection Sunday unveiled the 68-team field for the men’s Division I basketball tournament, led by UConn as the top overall seed. While debates rage every year about perceived tournament snubs, the exclusions this year are arguably reaching a new level, raising new questions about how the brackets are filled. 

Among the recent flash-points surrounding the 2024 tournament field:

  • Indiana State, ranked No. 28 in NCAA NET rankings, set a new record for the highest-ranked team in those tabulations to be left out of the tournament. That made Sycamores coach Josh Schertz brand the team’s history-making status as “beyond disappointing.”
  • The Big East had particularly raw feelings after No. 32 St. John’s was left out of the tournament, a fate also befalling No. 58 Providence and No. 67 Seton Hall. The conference was the second best in all of D-I, according to noted statistician Ken Pomeroy, but received only three bids—its smallest total since 1993—compared to eight each for the Big 12 and SEC, and six for the Big Ten (KenPom conferences Nos. 1, 3, and 4). Providence coach Kim English lashed out at the metrics helping to inform the selection committee, particularly those appearing to reward teams for running up the score in games against lesser opponents. “I think the analytics are bulls***,” English told reporters. “I think you could schedule bad teams in your non-league [schedule] and beat the snot out of them. Coaching for so long has been a gentlemen’s agreement … but right now, [there] might be a change in college basketball.”
  • St. John’s turned down an invitation to the second-tier National Invitation Tournament on Sunday, as did the Big 12’s Oklahoma and ACC’s Pittsburgh, with the start of the transfer portal holding some influence on those decisions. Red Storm coach Rick Pitino also denounced the NCAA’s evaluation metrics, saying, “I think we all should probably never mention that word [NET] again because it’s fraudulent. I think the NET is something that shouldn’t even be mentioned anymore.” Several other schools, including Indiana, Memphis, and Ole Miss, previously signaled they also had no interest in the NIT.
  • The situation even captured the attention of Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.), who posted on X, “I don’t get it. So if you aren’t a football conference the NCAA isn’t interested.”

In each of these instances, millions of dollars are at stake for the involved schools and their conferences. 

Non–Power 5 conferences, meanwhile, have an additional burden in the tournament. Eight First Four and first-round games feature teams from outside the Power 5 pitted against one another, equal to the number of such games in last year’s field. While that guarantees at least eight non-elite teams will win at least one game, it also immediately eliminates an equal number. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Raleigh Dumps Competition in HR Derby to Win $1M Prize

“Big Dumper” barely gets into the semifinals before ultimately winning the competition.

Lane Kiffin: ‘Doesn’t Seem’ Like CFB Revenue-Sharing Cap Works Very Well

The outspoken Ole Miss football coach isn’t impressed with revenue-sharing guidelines.
Joy Taylor

Joy Taylor Out As FS1 Armageddon Ends Three Shows

All three shows were struggling to attract audiences.

Featured Today

May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.
July 11, 2025

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.

SEC’s Sankey Is ‘Fine’ With Big Ten’s Differing View on CFP Expansion

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey won’t commit to a 2026 CFP format.
July 11, 2025

NCAA: March Madness Expansion to 76 Teams ‘Still Viable’ for 2026

Negotiations continue with media rights holder CBS and TNT Sports.
July 14, 2025

SEC’s Greg Sankey: Conference Not Sold on Private Equity—for Now

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said he’s taken PE meetings.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
The Florida State Seminoles hosted the Florida Gators at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
July 10, 2025

Athletic Departments Express Renewed Interest in PE in Wake of House Settlement

Schools now have more expenses—and are looking for creative solutions.
July 10, 2025

Deion Sanders Rips ‘Bulljunk’ in CFB, Calls for NFL-Style Salary Cap

Coach Prime is frustrated with the new revenue-sharing era.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard KK Arnold (2)1 dribbles against UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.
July 10, 2025

‘Kind of a Joke’: Frustrations Mount As New NIL Deal Approval Process..

Delays have already led to athletes losing NIL opportunities.
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Head coaches Willie Fritz of Houston, Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State, Rich Rodriguez of West Virginia, Lance Leipold of Kansas, Sonny Dykes of TCU, Kyle Whittingham of Utah, Brent Brennan of Arizona and Deion Sanders of Colorado all sit on stage for a Coaches Roundtable during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star.
July 9, 2025

Big 12 Commish: Conference Is ‘All In’ on International Expansion

The conference had once planned a large initiative in Mexico.