The NCAA Tournament is NOT made up of the best 68 teams. Coaches on the bubble or even outside of it need to stop saying they should be “in” because they are one of the best 68 teams. That statement makes them look like they do not understand the selection process. The field of 68 is made up of 32 conference tournament champion automatic qualifiers and 36 “at large” teams. The “at large” 36 should be the best remaining eligible teams after the 32 AQs. Many of the 32 automatic qualifiers are not in the top 68 and not better than many teams left out. That is what makes the tournament so much fun however. For example Stetson (#207 NET) and Longwood (#161 NET) are automatically in the tournament and definitely not better than teams projected “out” such as Villanova (#33 NET) and Texas A&M (#47 NET.) Just stop saying a team should be in because they are one of the top 68 teams (as the tournament is not for the top 68 teams.) An argument based on the selection criteria would be that a team should be in because they are one of the best remaining eligible teams after the 32 automatic qualifiers. The NIT is also not the best remaining 32 teams after NCAA selection. The NIT as well has their own selection process that favors Power 6 conferences by automatically granting those conferences 12 of the 32 bids while other conferences are not guaranteed any.

Loyola is NO WHERE close to a bubble team with a NET of 84. New Mexico is a bubble team at #28. Further proof is that Loyola is projected as one of the last NIT seeds (#7 at best or even #8.) Lose on Sunday and maybe you can move up to a #6 seed in the NIT or #5? Either way on the road absent arena conflicts in the first round.


Win the A10 Tournament.

You audition for the NCAA with your non-con performance. Unfortunately this year we will not get the part unless we pass our call back audition, the tournament.
An argument could be made that our current method of putting together a team with so many newcomers each year takes us awhile to get going and therefore we do not shine in the non-con and hence our position.