Dan Hurley warns 76-team NCAA field could void regular season
UConn men's basketball coach Dan Hurley cautioned that expanding the NCAA men's and women's tournaments to 76 teams risks rendering the regular season meaningless. The 53-year-old two-time national champion stressed the value of a difficult qualification process. Hurley shared his views in comments to CBS Sports.
The NCAA last expanded the fields in 2011 by adding three teams each, bringing the men's tournament to 68 participants. Hurley argued the qualification grind intensifies play from November through February. "What I think makes the tournament special is the qualification for it," he said. "You don't want the regular season to be rendered meaningless."
Hurley favors the challenge of making the field, citing appeal in matchups like 1-vs-16 and 8-vs-9 games. He noted that even at 64 teams, entry demanded a strong season, while champions still require six wins. Under a 76-team plan, eight additional at-large bids would yield 12 opening games across two sites on Tuesday and Wednesday, forcing early entrants to win seven games for the title.
"It should be a privilege to play in the tournament, not a right," Hurley said, questioning if expansion dilutes the event. The traditional 64-team bracket would resume Thursday after preliminary play.
