One of college basketball’s hottest topics this offseason is the possible expansion of the NCAA Tournament.
But Nebraska men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg doesn’t want to hear it. Neither does UConn coach Dan Hurley.
Currently, the postseason field is 68 teams. There is talk about increasing the number of teams to 72 or 76.
ESPN reported that the NCAA will decide “in the next few weeks” if it will expand the men’s and women’s tournament fields. The expansion could come as soon as the 2026 tournaments. ESPN reported the field is not expected to expand beyond 76 teams.
Nebraska would seem to gain a direct benefit from having more teams in the tournament. The Huskers have made the NCAA field only once since 2014. That was in 2024, when Hoiberg’s Huskers, an 8 seed, lost in the first round to Texas A&M.
Yet, Hoiberg said he was against NCAA Tournament expansion at a recent media availability in Lincoln.
“I think the NCAA Tournament is the greatest sporting event in the country,” Hoiberg said. “I like it. I like it as is.”
Hoiberg is not alone. Hurley, whose team won the national championship in 2023 and 2024, doesn’t want an expanded NCAA field. Other coaches have said they don’t want expansion.
An expanded field, in theory, would benefit fans, players and programs overall. More games equal more fun, excitement and competition — all of which are part of the beauty of March Madness. An expanded field would mean more games to televise and more revenue for the NCAA and the networks.
The Huskers have never won an NCAA Tournament game in eight trips.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi published his latest Bracketology on June 24. For what it’s worth in June, Lunardi placed Nebraska as “On the Bubble” and as the “Next Four Out.” Lunardi also lists a “First Four Out”, meaning the Huskers would be the 73rd team — missing a 72-team field by one spot, but earning a spot in a 76-team field.
The 2024-25 Nebraska team was 21-14. The Huskers didn’t qualify for the Big Ten Tournament. Nebraska won the inaugural College Basketball Crown postseason tournament in Las Vegas.
The NCAA field expanded from 16 teams to 32 in 1975. It went from 32 to 64 in 1985. The current field size of 68 started in 2011.
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