So in looking at these Net rankings, what post season opportunities do we have.
The NCAA tournament now takes 68 teams. The women’s ranking are significantly higher than the men’s, but Ball State is not high enough to get an at large bid, so only the MAC tournament champion will get to the NCAA.
The WNIT has long been a great opportunity for MAC teams and many have made long runs. That has helped build some powerful programs while the lack of similar opportunities for our men’s programs has hurt men’s basketball. The WNIT always took 64 teams but last year dropped to 48. So 64 plus 48 gives you 112 teams. Right now it looks like Buffalo and Kent fit into that level.
Last year a new 32 team tournament called the WBIT started. It operates exactly like the WNIT accept that the Final Four meet in Hinkle fieldhouse in Indianapolis. So adding 32 to 112 we get to 144. The MAC currently has 5 teams with 135 or lower ( including us) so you would think we should get in a postseason tournament barring a collapse.