After years of speculation, the NCAA pushed through its proposal to expand the NCAA Tournament field.
The Tournament field will now be expanded from 68 teams to 76 teams, creating more games and opportunities, according to the league.
The expansion was met with heavy criticism, especially from some of the college's most well-known basketball figures.
Legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale stated it sickens him that the league approved the measure, paving the way for more mediocre teams to make the field. He isn't the only one opposed to the expansion, but it will kick in next season regardless.
This is the third time since 2000 that the field has expanded. Starting in 2001, the field was expanded from 64 to 65, and in 2011, it was expanded to 68. After 15 years of a 68-team field, it puts some of Iowa's past failures to make the Big Dance into perspective.
Fran McCaffery's legacy could have included more NCAA Tournament appearances
Near the end of his tenure in Iowa City, long-time head coach Fran McCaffery was widely criticized for his inability to advance past the NCAA Round of 32.
It took Iowa until his fourth year to make the NCAA Tournament, but they became a regular after that.
During his 15 years at the helm, the Hawkeyes won nearly 300 games, including eight seasons with 20-plus wins.
That included seven NCAA Tournament berths, but if the field had been expanded earlier in his tenure, it could've easily been more.
According to CBS Sports' senior college basketball writer Matt Norlander, the NCAA moved to the 76-team field to provide additional access to more Division I men's and women's programs, and if it had happened earlier, Fran could've had more Tourney appearances on his resume.
The criteria for making the Big Dance will undoubtedly shift, but looking back at a few of Iowa's past failures to make the field shows they could have had more chances.
The most glaring omission came in the 2012-2013 season, when Iowa finished 25-13 in a tough Big Ten but still only made the NIT.
That combined with winning 18-plus games in 2011 (18-17), 2016 (19-15), and 2023 (19-15), the expanded field could have given Iowa four more opportunities.
Iowa is a near-lock to make the NCAA Tournament from now on
Iowa's four missed opportunities won't come back to haunt the program very much, but it proves the Tournament could easily be watered down by teams that don't deserve to be there.
An 18-17 Iowa team in 2011 had no business making the field, but if there were 76 teams, they had a good shot to at least make the expanded first round as a Big Ten program.
After one season with Ben McCollum at the helm, the Hawkeyes made it back to the Tournament and made an improbable run to the Elite Eight.
If the program stays on its upward trajectory or even remains the same, there is no doubt that it will remain in the Tournament picture for the foreseeable future.
"Cinderella" teams have all but been eliminated, and we will see whether an expanded field still provides good games, or if it proves why certain teams shouldn't be there.
Add us as a preferred source on Google