There is no way possible that Heath does not get the Bulls to MSG in 09

[flsportsfan83]

Big East hoops: All 16 in tourney in '09

Here's a bold guarantee for next season: USF's men's and women's basketball teams will make the Big East tournament.

The Big East announced Wednesday that its presidents had approved a plan to expand the league's postseason basketball tournament from 12 to 16 teams, allowing all of its members to play at Madison Square Garden for the men's tournament, and the Hartford Civic Center for the women. USF's men have missed the cut in their first two years in the league.

The new system sets up two tiers of byes, with the league's bottom eight teams playing on the first day of the tournament. Those four winners then play the teams seeded fifth through eighth -- essentially what is the first day of the tournament under the current format -- with those four winners then facing the top four seeds.

Those byes make the Big East's regular season about as incentive-laden as you can get -- you can earn a day off by finishing in the top eight, and can earn a second day off by finishing in the top four. That means allowing every league team to sell recruits and boosters on playing in the Big East tournament every year, without taxing the league's elite teams with too many games the weekend before the NCAA Tournament starts.

For USF, it makes it all the more of a milestone if the Bulls can get to MSG on their own steam this season, as opposed to having to wait until everybody gets there automatically.

Posted by Greg Auman at 11:16:20 AM on November 7, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)

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[flsportsfan83]

Personally I dont like it.

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

Personally I dont like it.

Me neither.

[flsportsfan83]

I feel it was something to play for the last few years. It had me interested in what it meant to win. Now everybody gets in..... Kinda sucks.

[Triple B]

Are there any other conferences that don't send all the teams to the conf tourney?

[flsportsfan83]

Are there any other conferences that don't send all the teams to the conf tourney?

i dont think so

[Brad]

Whew!!!

Here I was thinking to myself "oh no! two more years of unrealistic expectations and ******** from flsportsfan83".

Glad it's an automatic.  One less thing to worry about.

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

I really like the current system, because it raises the stakes in the regular season.

You'd better play your tails off to NOT be one of those four bottom teams in the regular season.

When this is changed next season, that will eliminate that dynamic.

[flsportsfan83]

I really like the current system, because it raises the stakes in the regular season.

You'd better play your tails off to NOT be one of those four bottom teams in the regular season.

When this is changed next season, that will eliminate that dynamic.

AND ITS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT TO MAKE IT.

You should have to earn it. Even Sports is getting Liberal.

This is like Welfare.

[Triple B]

Are there any other conferences that don't send all the teams to the conf tourney?

i dont think so

Then I don't see what the big deal is. It's the beauty of college basketball.... Every team in the country has a chance to get to the Big Dance and win it all.