Watching the NCAA tourney's move to 96 teams…  Use your ← →
(arrow) keys to browse more stories Watching the NCAA tourney's
move to 96 teams… Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images  As the Final Four
tips off this weekend with nary a big name playing on the court,
the needed distraction to steal some headlines has been created
by the NCAA themselves as the confirmation of a move to 96 teams
in the NCAA tournament has brought much controversy
to Indianapolis.  So what are we to make of the 96-team field? 
Is it a money grab as most analysts postulate?  Is it a move to
get the tourney in the hands of ESPN?  None of that part of the
equation really matters to the average fan.  What does matter is
what this beloved tournament will look like in the future, next
year by some estimates, 2014 by others.  The 96-team tournament
would take the top 32 seeds and give them a bye in what would
now be called the “Opening Round.”  If you’re thinking about how
that term sounds familiar, you’re right!  That’s what the game
played between t