Before the NCAA men’s tournament dilutes itself in the near future (like next year) with additional expansion aimed at placating the power conferences, the current selection committee can take one last stand for deserving mid-major programs. The most obvious and easiest stand is to put both Missouri Valley Conference tourney finalists in the Big Dance.
The Indiana State Sycamores and Drake Bulldogs both deserve to be in the field of 68 no matter what happens when they meet in the Arch Madness final Sunday. They’re good enough. They have been all season. The loser shouldn’t be left twisting on Selection Sunday next week, but that’s inevitable.
The Sycamores are 28–5, with one of those losses to Drake in Des Moines. The Bulldogs are 27–6, with one of those losses to Indiana State in Terre Haute. Indiana State entered play Saturday No. 29 in the NCAA’s own NET ratings, while Drake was 46th—well within at-large tournament range. And both should be higher come Sunday.
