That was the other scenario I considered for rewarding the double winners, automatically among the top 32. I would actually prefer that, but just figured there’s zero chance the major schools would allow any mid- or low-majors to receive that perk.
Thanks, appreciate your thoughts.
I would argue they already added playing more interesting exhibition games, so that ship has sailed as far as starting earlier. Skip exhibition/preseason games (like college football does) & just make those 2 games real ones.
I don't have any exact numbers but going off memory slightly below or slightly above half of the other 26 conferences is normal. Last season there were 14 double-champs from outside the Power 5.
Akron
Bryant
Drake
High Point
Liberty
Lipscomb
McNeese
Memphis
Norfolk State
Omaha
Robert Morris...
Full disclosure: I'm opposed to any expansion of the NCAA Tournament field but have accepted it's likely to expand to 76 starting next season. In the interests of being open-minded, instead of complaining about it (what I usually do), I'm offering up an alternative solution (cough, cough) that...
I look at it this way.
Assuming the best-possible remaining non-conference scenario (10-1). ... If that happens, the Gophs have to win 10 Big Ten games. Given what we've seen so far, not seeing that as likely, especially considering how other conference teams have performed/looked.
Feast Week Starts Today
The best stretch of non-conference college basketball starts this morning with three bracketed tournaments. The Boardwalk Battle (Daytona Beach), Baha Mar Championship (Nassau, Bahamas), and Hall of Fame Classic (Kansas City) get things rolling for a veritable smorgasbord...
A buddy of mine texted me after the game last night and said he’d put the over/under for Gopher Big Ten wins at 2.5. I immediately said I’d take the over for $25. Haven’t heard back from him yet.
Need to start showing more positive signs starting with San Francisco. Important stretch ahead...
St. Thomas in the Torvik (T-Rank) Rankings
UST (3-2, 2-3 ATS) remains #132 in the rankings.
Tuesday Reach the Summit Recaps
Oral Roberts 84, Haskell (non-Division 1) 64: Ofri Naveh (15 points, 7 rebounds) led five players in double figures as the Golden Eagles improved their record to 2-3. Both...
Gophers remain perfect vs. Cupcake City, beat Chicago State 66-54.
Next 3 non-conference games are 50-50 Balls where the Gophers need to show big balls. With loss already to Mizzou, Gophers need to win all 3 of San Francisco, Stanford, and Saint Louis/Santa Clara. 2-1 won’t cut it if they want...
St. Thomas in the Torvik (T-Rank) Rankings
UST (3-2, 2-3 ATS) slides one spot to #132 in the rankings.
Monday Reach the Summit Recaps
North Dakota State 92, Southern Illinois 85: Damari Wheeler-Thomas scored 24 points (4 of 6 from trey) and added 4 assists to lead NDSU (3-2) to its third...
Automatic qualifiers in multiple-bid conferences (noted with an *) have the best conference record or, in the event of a tie, best Bart Torvik T-Rank (noted in parentheses).
FIELD OF 68 PROJECTION (11/17/25)
America East (1): Vermont (201)
American (1): USF (60)
ACC (6): *Duke (2), Louisville...
Week 3 of the college hoops season welcomes 6 new teams to the field, including 3 conference leaders (East Tennessee State, Hawaii, Youngstown State). Automatic qualifiers in multiple-bid conferences (noted with an *) have the best conference record or, in the event of a tie, best Bart Torvik...
Agree.
If nothing else they have multiple guys that can put the ball in the hoop, staters and off the bench. And having Rienk Mast back from injury changes their ceiling quite a bit from last season. I’d guess Huskers biggest question will be can they defend adequately enough?