What Official Tournament Expansion Means for Arizona State

It is now official. The NCAA has now expanded the NCAA Basketball Tournament, starting next season. Or what most fans know as "March Madness." It was a change in their minds over the last year, and one that many did not think would happen.

The change is for both men's and women's basketball. That will give eight more teams a chance to compete in the big dance. For many years, the tournament featured 68 teams.

Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett walks in front of the bench in the first half during a first round men’s basketball game of the NCAA Tournament between St. Mary's and Texas A&M, at Paycom in Oklahoma City on Thursday, March 19, 2026. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It will be interesting to see the reactions in college basketball. When it was discussed in the early stages, many were not on board with expanding it. Now that it has happened, will they change their mind about it?

There are always these few teams that people feel they got left out of. I do not see that changing. There are still going to be teams, coaches, and the people covering the game feeling like a certain team got left behind.

Mar 28, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; The March Madness logo is seen before an Elite Eight game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Purdue Boilermakers of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

NCAA Expands March Madness

Having it at 68 was enough for any team to make their case to get into the tournament. If you have to question if you were one of the top 68 teams in the country, you should not be mad if you did not get in. Now that it is at 76, some games won't mean much. It is going to take something from the regular season, and even something from the conference tournament. It was already great at 68; there was no need to change it to 76.

"Of the 68 teams in last season's tournaments, 31 were automatic bids -- each conference receives one apiece -- and 37 were at-large bids, chosen by the selection committees based on various metrics. The increase to 76 teams means 44 at-large bids will now be handed out, with 32 automatic bids needed due to the return of the Pac-12," said Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

,.k — May 7, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils basketball head coach Randy Bennett speaks to the media during an introductory press conference at the Weatherup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

What It Means for Arizona State

"This is the first expansion for the men's tournament since 2011, when it grew from 65 to 68 teams. It's also the biggest expansion since 1985, when the field doubled from 32 to 64 teams."

Interesting times in college basketball once again. For the Arizona State Sun Devils, that means a better chance of making it into the field now. They want to go dancing, and their opportunity to do so just got better.

May 7, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils basketball head coach Randy Bennett speaks to the media during an introductory press conference at the Weatherup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's a change that will assuredly sit sour with lots of fans, but it does work to ASU's advantage.

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