Insights on the NCAA Tournament Selection Process with Charles McLen

🏀The selection of the fourth seed and the inclusion of Iowa State created controversy in the NCAA Tournament.

🔒The committee considers the entire season, including non-conference strength of schedule, when evaluating teams.

🧩The committee faced challenges due to bid thieves, with five bids being stolen in this year's selection process.

😴The committee had to work late hours, with the selection process finishing at 2 a.m., making it one of the most difficult processes in recent years.

🏅Indiana State missed out on a tournament spot, with their non-conference schedule being one factor considered.

Why was there controversy surrounding the fourth seed in the NCAA Tournament?

—The inclusion of Iowa State as the fourth seed sparked controversy and discussions about head-to-head comparisons with Tennessee. Ultimately, North Carolina's regular-season performance and Iowa State's tournament performance played a role in the committee's decision.

How does the committee evaluate teams for the NCAA Tournament?

—The committee considers various factors, including overall season performance, non-conference strength of schedule, head-to-head matchups, and conference tournament performances. The goal is to select the most deserving teams based on their performance throughout the season.

What are bid thieves?

—Bid thieves are teams from smaller conferences that win their conference tournaments, stealing an automatic bid that would have otherwise gone to a more favored team. This can create challenges for the committee in selecting and placing teams in the tournament bracket.

Why was Indiana State not included in the NCAA Tournament?

—Indiana State had a strong season with good metrics. However, their non-conference strength of schedule and certain games outside of their conference were factors considered by the committee when making the final selections.

How challenging is the selection process for the committee?

—The selection process is extremely challenging, especially when bids are stolen by teams from other conferences. The committee has to carefully analyze and make decisions based on numerous factors, often involving difficult choices and time-consuming processes.

00:00Charles McLen, chair of the NCAA men's division one basketball committee, provides insights into the selection and bracketing process.

00:18The controversy surrounding the fourth seed and the inclusion of Iowa State sparked discussions.

01:57The committee considers the entire season and non-conference strength of schedule when evaluating teams.

02:38The committee faced challenges from bid thieves, with five bids being stolen in this year's selection process.

03:36Indiana State's close miss highlighted the importance of non-conference strength of schedule.