ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas is normally a sourpuss the night of the NCAA Basketball Championship Selection Show, but he reached a whole new level of pessimism on Sunday night.
“I wonder if some people on the committee know whether the ball is round,” Bilas said on ESPN regarding the selections for the 68-team tournament. “That sounds harsh. But I’m wondering. These were bad decisions. They’re indefensible.”
Until the NCAA expands to a 346-team tournament, you’re going to have schools that were snubbed by the selection committee. This year’s list included Virginia Tech (shocker), Colorado, Boston College, Alabama and St. Mary’s.
“I’ve seen UAB play. I’ve seen VCU play,” Bilas added. “All of the teams on the ‘snub list’ should have gotten in before those two. All of them. There’s a reason none of us brought up UAB and VCU as having a chance to get in — and it’s because they had no chance to get in. The committee has gone against their own principles.”
Let’s just hope Bilas is passionate about the snubbed teams and isn’t letting out ESPN’s frustration regarding CBS Sports and Turner Sports winning the television rights to the NCAA Tournament.