UCF coach Johnny Dawkins gets his wish as NCAA Tournament field grows

Johnny Dawkins is getting his wish.

The UCF Knights’ men’s basketball coach expressed support for an expanded NCAA Tournament field last fall. Now, it’s here.

On May 7, the NCAA selection committee voted to increase the number of participating teams from 68 to 76 starting next season. That goes for both the men’s and women’s events.

CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander reported the motion passed unanimously.

When was the last time the NCAA Tournament expanded?

For the men, it’s the first time March Madness has grown since 2011, when it jumped from 65 to 68 squads. This marks the first major expansion since the teams went from 53 to 64 in 1985.

The women’s side leapt from 65 to 68 in 2022. But it had not seen this large of a change since going from 48 to 64 in 1994.

“That’s a long time ago,” Dawkins said in October. “... You keep adding Division I teams and programs, but yet, your number stays the same at 64, basically.

“To me, I think you have to be able to expand. I just do. I think it’s tough when you have, what, 17% of the (365) teams in Division I are able to play in the NCAA Tournament. That’s a very, very small number when you think about sports in general around this country. Look at the NFL. Look at the NBA. Two-thirds of the NBA now are going to the playoffs. Half of the NFL is going to the playoffs.”