96=How many WCC teams?

[GUDan07]

The thought just popped into my head but with the immanent tournament expansion, how many teams do you think will make it from the WCC?

[MickMick]

Two.

Three is possible depending on how the conference collectively plays in OOC.

Only the top team will ever have a shot at a first round bye which will be the new form of snub. The new gripe on Selection Sunday will be that of teams forced to play an extra game and the new "bubble" will be the teams that are on the edge of getting a first round bye.

[BobZag]

Two, if it were this year.

Impossible to see, the future is. The Dark Side clouds everything.

[MississppiZag]

Gonzaga and St. Mary's, possibly a wild card in Loyola Marymount.

[Martin Centre Mad Man]

I think that we will see two teams in the field of 96 in most years and three teams in the better years. I can't think of a year when the fourth place team from the WCC was a post-season team, so I'd be amazed if that ever changes. The WCC's best years are years in which three teams crack the RPI Top 100.

[Birddog]

If there are separate Regular Season and Conference Tourney Champs, then both will get invites (Tourney Champ gets auto bid). If the Regular Season and Tourney Champs are the same team, then anyone else expecting an at large invite better have the credentials because the BCS teams will have the advantage as usual. Anyone expecting (or believing the NCAA BS about the possible change) anything different is delusional.

[LongIslandZagFan]

2 at most... more likely 1.

This is all about getting the .500 teams in the major conferences into the tournament and making sure the big conferences get more money.

[mgadfly]

2010:
St. Mary's -- Automatic
Gonzaga -- At large

Portland -- One of the first few teams left out

2009:
Gonzaga -- Automatic
St. Mary's -- At Large

Portland -- One of the first few teams left out


2008:
San Diego -- Automatic
Gonzaga -- At Large
St. Mary's -- At Large

2007:
Gonzaga -- At Large
Santa Clara -- At Large

2006:
Gonzaga -- Automatic



It is impossible to know for sure, but based on the last five years and what teams the WCC had make the NIT, or be listed on the bubble, have an RPI in the top 100, or KP Rating in the top 100, two additional WCC teams would have made the tournament; Santa Clara in 2007 and SMC in 2009.

[LongIslandZagFan]

Again... never underestimate the power of the power conferences. Most if not all of the 32 new spots will go to them.

[SWZag]

Sadly, I see the extra spots going to mediocre teams from BCS conferences. A good way to take the David vs. Goliath aspect out of the tourney, which makes the tourney big in the first place. I don't like it. They should at least add one extra team from each league, for most leagues. But of course BCS leagues are "so much tougher."

SWZag

[madness]

Again... never underestimate the power of the power conferences. Most if not all of the 32 new spots will go to them.

Very true, but WCC fans can imagine 4 in the field if 3 can get in 64. Does anyone have an early analysis of all WCC OOC schedules for next year?

Both Pepp and LMU will need to get some early big wins to get a chance. Portland and USD will be down. SCU and USF have 12 question marks.

IMO

[PilotNut]

3, according to CBS

CBS posted a mock 96-team 2010 bracket. It shows GU as the 8 seed, SMC as #10 and UP as #22 seed.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/13165827

(Even though this could have had us in the tourney, I am stating for the record that I am not a fan of this expansion.)

[maynard g krebs]

This year's Butler-duke final got by far the highest ratings since UNC-Illinois in '05, proving that people like to see David chuckin' rocks at Goliath. Same with tourney ratings overall this yr.

Maybe there's hope the NCAA gets that message. The last couple years midmajor at-larges were down. Ratings were down too, and Vitale even complained about unfairness to small schools. He wasn't alone either.

To answer the ques., WCC would average 1/2, maybe 1 more bid per yr.