Bracketology and Team Resumes

[Uspshoosier]

Just now, Stuhoo said:

Next you’re gonna tell me I have to root for Puredoo at OSU tomorrow.

Not

Gonna

Happen

Nope.   If iu takes care of their business you won’t have to worry about what other teams do.   If they beat Purdue it would make IUs road win over them look better 

[newcastle12]

On 2/25/2026 at 8:27 PM, IUHoosierJoe said:

Looking at this year's bubble teams is why I'm so against expanding the tournament field.  In fact, I'd like to see it go back to 64.  There just aren't that many teams deserving to play in a championship tournament.

You are absolutely correct.  The expanded field only has allowed for back half of a major conference and under achieving teams to get in to no real gain.  The "First Four" games aren't watched, nobody cares enough to include them in the brackets they fill out which is one of the bigger draws of march.  We didn't need whatever Indiana/Syracse/USC/Auburn gets in the field that will lose in the first 4, or first round.

[hoopsta007]

1 minute ago, newcastle12 said:

You are absolutely correct.  The expanded field only has allowed for back half of a major conference and under achieving teams to get in to no real gain.  The "First Four" games aren't watched, nobody cares enough to include them in the brackets they fill out which is one of the bigger draws of march.  We didn't need whatever Indiana/Syracse/USC/Auburn gets in the field that will lose in the first 4, or first round.

I agree and hate the play in games especially for the 16 seeds.  If they got an autobid let them play in the actual bracket instead of what amounts to an extension of their conference tournaments.  

[Uspshoosier]

13 minutes ago, newcastle12 said:

The "First Four" games aren't watched,

 

[Uspshoosier]

12 minutes ago, hoopsta007 said:

I agree and hate the play in games especially for the 16 seeds.  If they got an autobid let them play in the actual bracket instead of what amounts to an extension of their conference tournaments.  

You know who doesn’t hate those 16 seed play in games besides me who looks forward to watching them live every First 4?   The teams playing and the conferences that are playing in them.   Fans might not treating them like real tourney games but it gives those teams a chance to win a game in the tourney and the conference who wins gets a unit for winning which is more money for the smaller conference 

[Uspshoosier]

10 hours ago, newcastle12 said:

We didn't need whatever Indiana/Syracse/USC/Auburn gets in the field that will lose in the first 4, or first round

There is always a first 4 team who at least makes it to the second round. Some have made it to the sweet 16 and ucla and VCU have both made it to a final 4 from the first 4.   I want no part of expansion however leave the first 4 the way it is.   It’s awesome 

[hoopsta007]

1 minute ago, Uspshoosier said:

You know who doesn’t hate those 16 seed play in games besides me who looks forward to watching them live every First 4?   The teams playing and the conferences that are playing in them.   Fans might not treating them like real tourney games but it gives those teams a chance to win a game in the tourney and the conference who wins gets a unit for winning which is more money for the smaller conference 

I don’t disagree and watch the play in games every year as well.  Never really thought about the financial side of it but that does make sense.  Essentially then it is more beneficial for a 16 seed to get put in the play in game

[Uspshoosier]

2 minutes ago, hoopsta007 said:

I don’t disagree and watch the play in games every year as well.  Never really thought about the financial side of it but that does make sense.  Essentially then it is more beneficial for a 16 seed to get put in the play in game

Yes I would say for most of those small conferences.  They can say in recruiting if you come here we can get you to play in the ncaa tourney and win a game.  Big recruiting pitch for the SWAC, NEC and MEAC.  Those conferences are almost always in Dayton 

[Uspshoosier]

5 minutes ago, hoopsta007 said:

I don’t disagree and watch the play in games every year as well.  Never really thought about the financial side of it but that does make sense.  Essentially then it is more beneficial for a 16 seed to get put in the play in game

That financial side is for the big conferences as well.   B1G got a unit for IUs win a couple years ago and IU got a tourney win added to the history books 

[Uspshoosier]

2 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

That financial side is for the big conferences as well.   B1G got a unit for IUs win a couple years ago and IU got a tourney win added to the history books 

In 2025 a unit was 2 mil per win over a 6 year payout cycle.  More units earned equals more money for each conference members.   It’s one of the main reasons the power conferences want expansion 

[Uspshoosier]

7 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

In 2025 a unit was 2 mil per win over a 6 year payout cycle.  More units earned equals more money for each conference members.   It’s one of the main reasons the power conferences want expansion 

Football units are on a different level. Pretty sure IU netting the B1G over 20 mil for their championship run.  4 mil for making it, 4 mil for the quarters, 6 mil for semifinals and 6 for making the finals 

[hoopsta007]

12 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

Football units are on a different level. Pretty sure IU netting the B1G over 20 mil for their championship run.  4 mil for making it, 4 mil for the quarters, 6 mil for semifinals and 6 for making the finals 

Thanks for the info here.  True question for everyone but is UCLA really much better than IU

[Uspshoosier]

27 minutes ago, hoopsta007 said:

Thanks for the info here.  True question for everyone but is UCLA really much better than IU

In basketball?   Not really.   Most bottom of the bracket teams to bubble teams to first 4 out don’t have much separation

[newcastle12]

10 hours ago, Uspshoosier said:

There is always a first 4 team who at least makes it to the second round. Some have made it to the sweet 16 and ucla and VCU have both made it to a final 4 from the first 4.   I want no part of expansion however leave the first 4 the way it is.   It’s awesome 

Exactly 5 times in the the 15 years that it's existed has a team went as far as the 16 and only 2 have ever went farther than that.  So no that's not accurate.  

[HoosierDevils]

6 hours ago, newcastle12 said:

Exactly 5 times in the the 15 years that it's existed has a team went as far as the 16 and only 2 have ever went farther than that.  So no that's not accurate.  

How many have made it to the *second round*? I think the stats you posted go S16 onwards are in line with what @Uspshoosier said but it seems you left out the main point about first four teams making it to the second round. 

[yogisballin]

8 hours ago, Uspshoosier said:

There is always a first 4 team who at least makes it to the second round. Some have made it to the sweet 16 and ucla and VCU have both made it to a final from the first 4.   I want no part of expansion however leave the first 4 the way it is.   It’s awesome 

I’m personally not a big fan of the first four. Those games that Cleveland State plays mcneese st. Sorry but zero interest in those games. The. The other as example IU vs Wyoming. I don’t count as a tourney win. In my eyes tourney officially starts when those first 4 games have concluded. 

[Uspshoosier]

15 minutes ago, yogisballin said:

The other as example IU vs Wyoming. I don’t count as a tourney win

You don’t count them as a tourney win but the conferences do and the record book does.    

[Uspshoosier]

6 hours ago, newcastle12 said:

Exactly 5 times in the the 15 years that it's existed has a team went as far as the 16 and only 2 have ever went farther than that.  So no that's not accurate.  

Yeah it is accurate for what I said.   I did not  say make it to the sweet 16 I said one at least makes it to the second round (round of 32 not round of 16)

[Uspshoosier]

5 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

Yeah it is accurate for what I said.   I did not  say make it to the sweet 16 I said one at least makes it to the second round (round of 32 not round of 16)

2019 was the only year a First 4 team has not made it to at least the round of 32 

[Uspshoosier]

2 hours ago, HoosierDevils said:

How many have made it to the *second round*? I think the stats you posted go S16 onwards are in line with what @Uspshoosier said but it seems you left out the main point about first four teams making it to the second round. 

A First 4 team has made it to the second round every year except 2019