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The NCAA is reportedly looking to grow nan men’s and women’s hoops tournaments to 76 teams, and UConn caput coach Dan Hurley harbors immoderate concerns astir nan description .
No teams person been added since 3 much were successful 2011, and nan format of nan tourney would change, but that’s not what Hurley is concerned about. The 53-year-old coach does not want to spot nan regular play beryllium rendered meaningless.
"What I deliberation makes nan tourney typical is nan qualification for it," Hurley told CBS Sports. "You don't want nan regular play to beryllium rendered meaningless and to return distant from November, December, January, February. The qualification process makes nan regular play aggravated and pressure-packed."
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UConn caput coach Dan Hurley stands connected nan sidelines during nan first half of an NCAA assemblage hoops tourney semifinal crippled against Illinois astatine nan Final Four successful Indianapolis connected April 4, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)
"It should beryllium a privilege to play successful nan tournament, not a right, and evidently if it expands excessively overmuch and you don't person to person a existent bully play to make it, that would return distant from nan tournament. Does it get excessively big?"
Hurley said he loved nan tourney because it was difficult to suffice for.
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UConn caput coach Dan Hurley talks pinch a referee during nan first half of nan Elite Eight NCAA tourney crippled against Duke successful Washington connected March 29, 2026. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)
"I emotion watching 1/16 games, 8/9 games, Dayton games. But I besides emotion nan truth that erstwhile it was 64, it was really difficult to get in," nan two-time nationalist champion said. "You want it to beryllium difficult to get in. My biggest thing, too, is, you still person to triumph six games, right?"
In nan caller expanded tournament, nan first 2 days of nan tourney would look drastically different. On that Tuesday and Wednesday, location would beryllium 12 games played betwixt 24 teams owed to nan 8 added at-large bids. The games would beryllium played astatine 2 different sites.
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UConn caput coach Dan Hurley speaks during a news convention up of nan nationalist semifinal NCAA assemblage hoops tourney crippled against Illinois astatine nan Final Four successful Indianapolis connected April 2, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)
The accepted 64-team bracket would past footwear successful connected Thursday aft nan opening games. For nan teams who person to play connected Tuesday and Wednesday, they must triumph 7 games alternatively of six to triumph it all.
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Ryan Canfield is simply a integer accumulation adjunct for Fox News Digital.
