Curing the madness of college basketball

When someone says “college basketball,” the first thing that comes to most people’s minds is March Madness and the chaos of the NCAA Tournament. It is one of the few events in sports where virtually anyone has chance to win and an eight seed or higher has a chance to be crowned national champions. But this reputation has its consequences for the image of the sport, and it needs a fix-up.

Due to the mayhem of March, the college basketball regular season has been rendered insignificant. Everyone only watches March Madness. Basically, as long as power conference teams have a decent season and win over 20 games, they get a spot in the tournament.

At the same time, teams from other conferences may win all their games but lose their conference tournament and get no spot in the NCAA tournament. Furthermore, great teams who had great regular seasons can get knocked out early while teams who had mediocre seasons may go far and even win. Last year, Wichita State went undefeated, 35-0, before losing in the second round of the tournament to runner-up Kentucky. In 2011, Ohio State, a football school, had the basketball team and season of a lifetime going 32-2 in the regular season, winning the Big Ten, the Big Ten Tournament and crushed George Mason 98-66 in the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing in the third round also to Kentucky.

On the other hand, there have been some teams historically who had less than great regular seasons who went on to go far in the tournament. UConn last year had seven regular season losses including losing their finale to Louisville by 33 points, yet they found a way to win the NCAA Tournaments. In addition, there was a lot of uproar in 2011 when VCU made the field of 68 with a 23-11 regular season and dropped six of their last 11 games including the CAA Tournament, but that team made it all the way to the final four.

Sixty-eight teams play, but only one can win. What’s the point for fans to watch the regular season when it will break their heart in March and it gest them hyped up for nothing? What’s the point for fans to watch their teams struggle in the regular season when they virtually have just as decent a shot as anyone else to win the national championship come March? College basketball has no desirable product to sell 11 months of the year.

To fix college basketball, I propose a mid-season eight-team tournament to play for not only pride but also an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.

Firstly, it will keep the college basketball season packed. This first half of the season would be geared to getting a spot in this top eight and as a result the games would count for a lot more. There would be a lot more hype surrounding the beginning of the season non-conference matchups, and like in college football would be viewed as possible elimination games. Teams would have to play themselves into this tournament by winning all but two or three of their games. Advertisers and marketers rather than using mottos as “Journey to the Tourney,” could sell the first half of the college basketball season as trying to “make the eight,” or use something similar to the college football playoff motto, “Who’s in?”

Nonetheless, the second half of the season will maintain the same intensity as teams attempt to rack up conference championships, conference tournament championships and a good spot in the NCAA tournament. This midseason tournament keeps the college basketball season full of action, and looking forward to something that is two months and 15-20 games away rather than something that is four months and 35 games away.

This system also gives teams a chance to show something for their hard work and skill in one of the hardest sports there is when it comes to winning championships. Firstly, it gives lesser-known teams a better chance to prove themselves and a chance to earn an automatic ticket to “the dance.” College basketball is one of the few sports that gives really anyone a chance to win a national championship; however, it is much easier for a small-known team to make a name for themselves in a field of eight rather than 68. Maybe one of these less prestigious teams who is undefeated and is rolling in the first half of the season can make a name for themselves and their conference. A rule can be put forth that at least one non-power conference team has to be selected. In addition, the teams throughout college basketball history who have had once in a lifetime seasons, maybe even gone undefeated, won their conference and then lost in the NCAA tournament would have something else to show for their talent and work. The 2010-2011 Ohio States, the 2007-2008 Memphis’ (38-2 and runner-up to Kansas) came so far and achieved so much and do not have much to show for it other than maybe a conference championship and conference tournament championship.

This proposed set-up would give these great teams who might finished a little cold a chance to not only qualify for a competitive and selective midseason tournament, but also a chance to earn a championship in three games rather than six.