Basketball Tournament Format

[Clonehomer]

With 16 teams what’s everyone think of the Big12 basketball tournament? I really don’t like the idea of double byes that other conferences do. What about a 2 day first round?

Day 1
1v16
4v13
3v14
2v15

Day 2
5v12
8v9
7v10
6v13

Gives top 4 an advantage with an extra day rest, but it doesn’t go over the top with a double bye.

 

[theshadow]

Whoever survives the rock fight and finishes in the top 4 of the league will have earned a double bye.

Taking a wider view, it's going to make the women's tournament even worse from schedule, attendance, and media coverage standpoints. Imagine the ISU men having their regular-season finale at Hilton, while at the same time the women are playing in the conference tournament semis (or finals).

 

[Acylum]

Bottom 4 left out, top 4 get byes? Just spitballing and trying to make it less unwieldy.

 

[Cy4All]

With 16 teams what’s everyone think of the Big12 basketball tournament? I really don’t like the idea of double byes that other conferences do. What about a 2 day first round?

Day 1
1v16
4v13
3v14
2v15

Day 2
5v12
8v9
7v10
6v13

Gives top 4 an advantage with an extra day rest, but it doesn’t go over the top with a double bye.

I like this. Top 4 get what is essentially a tune up game. Then a day of rest as they scout the rest of the field and get to watch their next match-up play. Seems like a pretty good reward without being too excessive like a double bye.

 

[Big_Sill]

Great question, thanks for thinking of this. I have no answers, but will give me something to contemplate on a 5 hour car ride!

 

[NWICY]

Bottom 4 left out, top 4 get byes? Just spitballing and trying to make it less unwieldy.

Everybody should get to play, get on a run and get in the tourney. We've done it in the past, and with this conference in BB you have a pretty good chance of a 1st round win. Just my opinion though.

 

[cycfan1]

Could play simultaneous games at Municipal on first day.
Capacity shouldn't be a problem on day one.
Just have the rule ISU/KU/KState have to be at TMobile.

No real chance you could have womens tourney at same time in same city either way.

 

[HoopsTournament]

It will be double bye and should be. They have earned it. You don’t want your best teams playing four games and then immediately travel and play in Big Dance the next week.

 

[NWICY]

It will be double bye and should be. They have earned it. You don’t want your best teams playing four games and then immediately travel and play in Big Dance the next week.

Silly question double byes but everyone gets in correct? If so I'm good with it.

 

[HoopsTournament]

Silly question double byes but everyone gets in correct? If so I'm good with it.

Yes. They won’t exclude anyone.

 

[Sparkplug]

Could play simultaneous games at Municipal on first day.
Capacity shouldn't be a problem on day one.
Just have the rule ISU/KU/KState have to be at TMobile.

No real chance you could have womens tourney at same time in same city either way.

Read message on X from an Utah fan that the tournament needs to be moved to Vegas. Not even a full day as a member and wanting to mess with the tournament

 

[ZRF]

This. If you are in the bottom 4 of a 16 team league you have no business playing in any postseason tourney, let alone one that gives the chance of an auto bid.

It's also the fairest and easiest of the options.

 

[CyCrazy]

This. If you are in the bottom 4 of a 16 team league you have no business playing in any postseason tourney, let alone one that gives the chance of an auto bid.

It's also the fairest and easiest of the options.

Every team will play.

 

[ZRF]

Every team will play.

This may be true but they shouldn't. If you suck you suck and the double bye solution is less practice. Not sure why everything (like bowl games) has become so inclusionary over the years. Not good enough to finish 12th in a 16 team league, stay home.

Just like everything it's just about the money. Not that it's likely anytime soon but they don't want to risk Iowa State, Kstste, or KU (technically possible right....lol) finishing 13tj and those fans staying home.

 

[madguy30]

This may be true but they shouldn't. If you suck you suck and the double bye solution is less practice. Not sure why everything (like bowl games) has become so inclusionary over the years. Not good enough to finish 12th in a 16 team league, stay home.

Just like everything it's just about the money. Not that it's likely anytime soon but they don't want to risk Iowa State, Kstste, or KU (technically possible right....lol) finishing 13tj and those fans staying home.

Money.

It has always been, and will continue to be, about money.

 

[CascadeClone]

The other thing w double byes is you give the lower middle teams (maybe on bubble) a chance for another win or two against a bottom feeder, which may help them make the ncaa or bump up a seed line.

So yeah, prob bottom 8 play a game, gives 9-12 that easy extra win chance.
Then those winners play 5-8 seeds, and winners play top 4.

Once they merge bball with BigEast and the Zags, they will have 28 teams and can do a mega tournament. Could even do group play w knockout if you want. Lots of possibilities there, big money to be had.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

9 v 16
12 v 13
10 v 15
11 v 14

8 v 9/16
5 v 12/13
7 v 10/15
6 v 11/14

1 v 8/9/16
4 v 5/12/13
2 v 7/10/15
3 v 6/11/14

Semi #1
Semi #2

Championship

That's going to be a long week of basketball. If it's 18, you add another 2 game day.

 

[madguy30]

The other thing w double byes is you give the lower middle teams (maybe on bubble) a chance for another win or two against a bottom feeder, which may help them make the ncaa or bump up a seed line.

So yeah, prob bottom 8 play a game, gives 9-12 that easy extra win chance.
Then those winners play 5-8 seeds, and winners play top 4.

Once they merge bball with BigEast and the Zags, they will have 28 teams and can do a mega tournament. Could even do group play w knockout if you want. Lots of possibilities there, big money to be had.

Conference basketball season will feel really non-climactic now and at least maybe there will be some pay-back type games with the 1.5 week long conference tourney format.

 

[CascadeClone]

Maybe we need a diff thread, but what abt the regular season?

18 game schedule, youd have 3 home-aways and 12 singles.
20 game sched, youd have 5 home-away and 10 singles.
Would you do the home-aways as protected rivalries? Or just rotate them every year? If you protect them, it helps w travel a lot and preserves/creates rivalries. But tv is gonna want KU vs AZ and UH etc as much as possible.

Also, if they do partner w big east as i mention in previous post... you could have 28 teams and play 27 conf games. And just own every dime of inventory. That could be a high value property.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Maybe we need a diff thread, but what abt the regular season?

18 game schedule, youd have 3 home-aways and 12 singles.
20 game sched, youd have 5 home-away and 10 singles.
Would you do the home-aways as protected rivalries? Or just rotate them every year? If you protect them, it helps w travel a lot and preserves/creates rivalries. But tv is gonna want KU vs AZ and UH etc as much as possible.

Also, if they do partner w big east as i mention in previous post... you could have 28 teams and play 27 conf games. And just own every dime of inventory. That could be a high value property.

You go to 20 and you don't protect anything. They've made it abundantly clear that travel doesn't matter and you want to give TV what they want plus have the ability to play games with the schedule to maximize bids.


You can't play all league games like in your second scenario because you can't game the NET. The entire purpose of the NET is for power league teams to destroy low majors at home in the non-con in but games and rack up stupid efficiency numbers so that when you get to league play those rankings are bullet proof and you artificially inflate the number of Quad 1 opportunities which then gets the power league more bids. That doesn't work if you're league basically has the same number of losses and wins.