Expanded NCAA Tournament among proposals out of ACC spring meetings |
The Atlantic Coast Conference voted to propose an expansion of the NCAA Basketball Tournament from 68 to 72 teams, ACC commissioner John Swofford told reporters Thursday.
The conference held its annual spring meetings in Amelia Island, Florida this week and an expanded tournament was on the docket, among several other topics. Swofford said that the ACC coaches pointed to an expanded bowl season in football for the proposed move. "The idea of having two First Fours, if you will, maybe geographic," Swofford said, according to the News & Observer. "That's such a quick turnaround. You could have one maybe in Dayton and one in the western part of the states. But we will be proposing that." The NCAA Tournament expanded from 65 to 68 teams in the 2011 season, when Clemson participated in the first 'First Four.' The Tigers returned to the tournament for the first time since then last season and made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1997. Other basketball recommendations include moving back the 3-point line, widening the lane and a shot-clock reset to 20 seconds after offensive rebounds, which were all experimented with in the most recent NIT. According to the N&O, the ACC will also propose football recruiting dead periods in February and July and a restriction of the spring evaluation period from six weeks to four weeks, also prohibiting verbal offers before Sept. 1 of a prospect's junior year. John Swofford just wrapped up ACC spring meetings. Among bigger items: ACC basketball coaches recommend NCAA tourney to expand from 68 to 72 teams, widen the lane & move 3-point line back. They do not favor changing from halves to four quarters
-Hoops coaches rec NCAA tourney expansion by 4 teams, moving back 3-pt line, widening the lane, setting SC to 20 after O-rebs
-Football coaches want more time w current players. More kickoff change likely pic.twitter.com/HbuwYgn1Cp
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