What's Your Take: Should the NCAA do away with Conference Tournaments? | Page 3 | The Boneyard

What's Your Take: Should the NCAA do away with Conference Tournaments?

People often forget the 2010-2011 UConn Mens' team with Kemba Walker. That team lost 4 of the last 5 games to end the regular season 21-9, in 9th place in the Big East with a 9-9 record. They might not have gotten into the Big Dance without winning five games in five days to capture the conference tourney title. They then went on to win the next six games and the National Championship.

It has been a long time since Geno has been in a position where his team has to win the conference tournament to keep hope alive, so I can see his point. But one of the fun things about this time of year is to see if some Cinderella can manage to find her prince and live happily ever after.
 
If you watched WBB conference championships this weekend, you would see the negatives for the teams in the more competitive leagues. For example, all the final teams in the SEC were gassed from playing such high level ball for 3 straight days. Some teams are so thin that they may not even recover for the big dance. UConn, on the other hand, used its depth and lack of competition to handily win their games (one more) and remain in good health and stamina for the NC. So, in conclusion, while I like to see any type of WBB, I can see how it much negatively affect those teams in the SEC, ACC and Big Ten.
 
FanSince17 said:
In Geno's presser yesterday, he voiced the opinion that conference tournaments perhaps are not necessary. He also stated that basically middle-of-the-pack teams with sub-500 league records do not belong in the NCAA tournament. Earlier in the week, Kim Mulkey also spoke against conference tournaments. Arguments about these topics have been around since conference tournaments started but what has changed is the landscape. There has been talk recently about inviting all DI teams to the postseason tournament. What is that, only 2 more rounds? 64-128-256.
  • I think it's a different scenario depending on a team's position in the standings. (Geno mentioned this)
  • What do you think the benefits and/or drawbacks of a conference tournament are as you see it, in general.
  • For UConn this year, will the conference tourney help or hurt the team going forward.
  • Any historical references you could share.

I played in HS with Steve Castellan, who went to UVA. His freshman year there, 1975-76, the team went 13-11 overall, 4-8 in the ACC, and they won the conference tournament and went to the NCAA tournament, at a time when ALL leagues were one bid leagues. They beat NC, NC St, and MD to win the tourney to advance, eventually losing to DePaul in the NCAA's. That was historic stuff for the ACC. Long story short, it meant a lot for that team!
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I love how the internet thinks one bid conference tournaments were just invented.
 
ERWUC65 said:
If you watched WBB conference championships this weekend, you would see the negatives for the teams in the more competitive leagues. For example, all the final teams in the SEC were gassed from playing such high level ball for 3 straight days. Some teams are so thin that they may not even recover for the big dance. UConn, on the other hand, used its depth and lack of competition to handily win their games (one more) and remain in good health and stamina for the NC. So, in conclusion, while I like to see any type of WBB, I can see how it much negatively affect those teams in the SEC, ACC and Big Ten.
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They'll recover. They're 18-22 year olds with an entire week+ off.
 
ERWUC65 said:
If you watched WBB conference championships this weekend, you would see the negatives for the teams in the more competitive leagues. For example, all the final teams in the SEC were gassed from playing such high level ball for 3 straight days. Some teams are so thin that they may not even recover for the big dance. UConn, on the other hand, used its depth and lack of competition to handily win their games (one more) and remain in good health and stamina for the NC. So, in conclusion, while I like to see any type of WBB, I can see how it much negatively affect those teams in the SEC, ACC and Big Ten.
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Im not buying it, If 18-22 year olds need more then a week to recover then their not in very good shape.
 
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Interesting thread. The BE men's tournament's revenue is apparently easier to estimate. The tourney takes in 10- 13M in revenue. The League pays 6M to play in the Garden which is usually sold out. After costs the net revenue estimate is a few million dollars for the League just for the games. This does not include other revenue and the impact on NYC. The dinners, hotel rooms, bars, taxi fares, etc. It's millions. Just go to a steakhouse before or between games and you will see why. You are paying for a really good time and sometimes one that creates a lifelong memory. How many people were at the incredible 6 overtime game between UCONN and Cuse? About 500,000 now.

Putting every team from every league in the Big Dance makes the regular season almost irrelevant. The post season tourney however makes every team theoretically eligible to get in. They just have to earn it.

The women's game is also becoming a regular part of March. Many office pools have both men's and women's brackets. I have a prediction in this vein because it is a sea change coming. This year's finals, assuming UCONN is in it, will be the most viewed game ever in women's basketball. You have stars, rivalries, great teams and now you have exposure and social media. It's definitely coming.
 
oldude said:
My wife and I went to the tournament last year and spent a lot of money on tickets, our room, meals and parking. But for the first and probably only time in my life I walked away from the casino up about $100. It wasn’t much. But the fact that I didn’t lose money at the casino felt like I just won the lottery.
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Where do pay for parking at the Sun???? Congrats on winning $100!!
 
I'm surprised by the lack of love for conference tournaments, I think they make college basketball special! The atmosphere at both MSG and Mohegan Sun with fans from all over the conference intermingling. A celebration of the Big East. These are mens games, but some of my favorite memories are Ray vs G'town, Emeka and Ben vs Pitt, and Kemba vs Syracuse. Classics!
 
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
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