Sports
Here’s what a 76-team March Madness field looks like — and why it should worry you
If this most recent men’s NCAA Tournament had featured 76 teams, we’d have seen the first instance of a team one game over .500, Auburn, making the cut.
And if that isn’t juicy enough, the Tigers would’ve potentially played at … say, 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. Less than 48 hours after the bracket release.
Excited about the NCAA Tournament expanding to 76 teams, yet?
On Thursday, the long-discussed tournament expansion idea became reality, as the NCAA voted to grow the men’s and women’s tournament fields to 76 teams. Historically speaking, some fun teams would have benefited, perhaps none more so than Indiana State in 2024.
However, looking at the cutline for this postseason — which, by comparison, was one of the weakest in recent memory — paints a picture of the larger mediocrity that could be included in future fields.
Most of that, as you’d expect, comes from the high-major level. While San Diego State was included in the committee’s “First Four Out” this March, the other three teams — Oklahoma, Auburn and Indiana — were all middling afterthoughts in their respective leagues.
Take the Sooners, arguably the best of the bunch, who lost nine straight games in January and February, finishing 7-11 in the SEC. Or Auburn, which, on top of finishing only one game over .500, lost nine of its last 12 contests. Indiana’s maybe the least defensible of them all, losing six of its last seven games to fall completely out of the 68-team field.
And that’s just the “First Four Out,” teams that had reasonable arguments for inclusion. There are several ways to project the final four teams who would’ve made it this March, but they all require you to hold your nose first. If you go by Wins Above Bubble (WAB) — a new metric the committee introduced in 2025 — from Selection Sunday, Seton Hall, New Mexico, Belmont and Oklahoma State would’ve made the cut.
Or you can go by NET rankings, which — after eliminating any teams with losing records (Baylor, cough, cough) — leave you with New Mexico, Cincinnati, Tulsa and Seton Hall. Either way, not very appetizing.
Using the latter method, you’d have been looking at the following slate for March Madness’ new opening round:
One of the key arguments in favor of tournament expansion was improved “access” for teams to participate in the postseason, especially as Division-I men’s college basketball has swollen to 365 teams. A 76-team field means that just over 20 percent of DI teams will participate in March Madness, which sounds good on the surface … until you re-examine the lists of teams below the prior cutline.
Maybe a few true mid-majors — like the 26-win Belmont team this season, which was upset in the Missouri Valley tournament — will squeeze through an expanded bubble. If so, an optimist could argue that giving lower-level leagues more chances to win games (and earn the accompanying NCAA Tournament financial units) is actually a good thing. And that would be.
But all the data suggests the opposite will transpire. That most of the eight new berths awarded each March will instead go to high-major teams like Indiana, which simply didn’t win enough to get in by 15-year-long standards.
Building on the aforementioned Auburn example: How long until a high-major with a losing record gets in, then, saved by some sterling metrics?
This season’s bubble — fully accounting for the impact of modern trends, such as the transfer portal, NIL and revenue-sharing — could not have made a stronger case against NCAA Tournament expansion. Yet here we are, with our final 68-team bracket almost certainly in the rearview mirror.
Fans, inevitably, will still tune in for an expanded (yet watered-down) first round. But it’s very much to be determined what level of college basketball they’ll actually be watching.
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Porto defender Alberto Costa is on the radar of Arsenal and Manchester United, Manchester City will not let Erling Haaland leave on the cheap if they are relegated, Liverpool retain an interest in Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Manchester United and Arsenal are both keeping a close eye on Porto’s 22-year-old Portuguese right-back Alberto Costa but face competition from Paris St-Germain. (Caughtoffside), external
Manchester City will put a hefty price tag on Norway striker Erling Haaland, 26, if they end up being relegated from the Premier League over financial rule breaches. (Football Insider), external
Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona are among the teams interested in Haaland and closely monitoring Manchester City‘s situation amid the possibility of sanctions. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has been offered to two clubs in France’s Ligue 1, but neither were interested in the 31-year-old Englishman, who is currently a free agent. (Foot Mercato – in French), external
Besiktas president Serdal Adali has vowed to sign Joe Willock, 27, from Newcastle, in January, claiming the English midfielder has already chosen a new home in Turkey. (Talksport), external
Former Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will not return to Premier League management with a lower or mid-ranked club such as Crystal Palace or Fulham and would want to take over at an underachieving big club. (Telegraph – subscription required), external
Liverpool remain interested in Real Madrid’s France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni – even though the 26-year-old signed a new long-term contract with the La Liga club in the summer. (Teamtalk), external
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Free-scoring All Blacks wing Fehi Fineanganofo has convinced Newcastle Red Bulls to delay his arrival on Tyneside so he can chase his dream of playing at the Rugby World Cup.
It was originally announced back in January that the 24-year-old had agreed a two-year deal with Newcastle, beginning at the start of the current campaign.
However, Fineanganofo’s exceptional form with the Wellington-based Hurricanes in Super Rugby then propelled him into Test reckoning.
He made his New Zealand debut against France in July.
Under All Blacks selection rules, a move overseas this year would have put Fineanganofo’s emerging international career on ice and ruled him out of contention for the Rugby World Cup, which begins in October 2027.
Newcastle have therefore allowed Fineanganofo to stay with the Hurricanes, for whom he broke the record for the most tries in a single Super Rugby campaign this year, for an extra season.
His Newcastle deal is still for two campaigns, but now covers the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons instead.
“I’m really grateful to Newcastle Red Bulls for the support and understanding they’ve shown me,” said Fineanganofo.
“The opportunity to stay in New Zealand and push for selection for the Rugby World Cup means a huge amount, and I’m fully committed to joining the club after the tournament and giving everything I can to the team.”
Newcastle’s sporting general manager Neil McIlroy said: “We are fully supportive of Fehi’s desire to represent his country at Rugby World Cup 2027, which marries with our own philosophy of aiming high and enabling our athletes to achieve their ambitions.
“Fehi’s arrival in 2027, with additional international experience that will only add to his already devastating qualities as a top-class winger, is another statement of intent around where this club is going.”
The compromise ends long-running uncertainty about Fineanganofo’s future.
In June, New Zealand Rugby denied they were attempting to put together a deal to get Fineanganofo out of his Newcastle contract.
Just a few weeks ago, Red Bulls’ head coach Dan McFarland said he expected Fineanganofo to arrive in November and play in the current campaign.
His side began the Prem season with former Ulster man Werner Kok, signed in June as doubts over Fineanganofo’s move increased, and 35-year-old Christian Wade as their first-choice wings.
McIlroy kept open the possibility of adding to the club’s options in that position.
“We are more than happy with the quality and depth that our existing squad possesses, but may yet choose to add to the outside back position if a player of the required standard becomes available,” he said.
Newcastle lost 59-26 away to defending champions Northampton on Friday in their league opener, and will take on Leicester at home on Saturday.
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Phoenix’s governor says he’s in the process of buying 14 percent more of the team, which would raise family control to nearly 99 percent.
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Football gossip: Costa, Haaland, Sterling, Willock, Howe, Tchouameni
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