Coaches face scheduling challenges with 76-team NCAA tournament
How college basketball coaches set up nonconference schedules will be a huge point of debate with the NCAA Tournament expanding to 76 teams.
The NCAA tournament expanding from 68 to 76 teams will lead to significant changes in the college basketball industry. Television and travel are some of the components of the business which will be adjusted. Perhaps the biggest change of all could come in the realm of nonconference scheduling, the games coaches get on the phone to discuss with each other.
Reality, like it or not The sad reality of expansion to 76 teams is that it will serve the high majors, the teams from power conferences, more than the 25-win small-conference teams. We don't like this, but we know this is what will generally happen. Let's start there as the basis for this conversation, even though it's an unpleasant thing to contemplate.
Fewer risks Coaches of high major teams will be inclined to take fewer risks in their nonconference schedules. That much we can all agree on. You are going to see teams with 7-11 or 8-12 conference records getting into the play-in round quite often with the 76-team setup.
Coaches will realize there's little point in testing oneself in nonconference games when conference play is enough of a challenge. Racking up wins will be the goal in nonconference competition. Miami-Ohio It became one of the biggest stories of the 2026 college basketball season: Miami could not get high majors to play the RedHawks.