What NCAA Tournament expansion means for Iowa basketball

TL;DR

The NCAA Tournament is expanding to 76 teams, increasing the first week games to six each day. This change raises questions about whether more spots will go to mid-major programs or power conference teams with sub-par records.

Key points

NCAA Tournament expanding to 76 teams
First week will feature six games each day
Total of 24 teams in additional games
Brackets remain at 64 teams starting Thursday
Concerns over favoring power conference teams

Like it or not, and the vast majority of college fans don't like it, the NCAA Tournament is expanding. The field, which was 64, then grew to 68, is now ballooning to 76 teams for March Madness.

The expansion would increase the games on Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week of March Madness to six each day, with 24 teams in total appearing in those 12 games. The bracket would remain at its traditional 64-team bracket beginning on Thursday once these additional games conclude.

Questions remain. Are these additional spots going to go to more middle-of-the-pack power conference teams that finish .500 or barely above with a sub-par record in conference play? Or is the NCAA going to create more access for top mid-major programs that may stumble in the conference tournament?

College basketball fans are pleading for the latter, but we know the almighty dollar runs the NCAA, and if they can sneak in a handful of power conference teams for one more game, that rules the day.

Looking at the NCAA Tournament expansion on a smaller scale, what does this mean for the Iowa Hawkeyes moving forward? It's simple.

It means one thing: any season the Iowa Hawkeyes fail to make the NCAA Tournament in the newly expanded field is a complete and utter, no ifs, ands, or buts about it, objective failure.

In today's college basketball climate, the Iowa Hawkeyes compete in one of the best conferences in the sport and are going to have more than enough chances to pick up quality wins. They did it during the 2025-26 college basketball season and made a run to the Elite 8.

Anything less than making the field is a downright failure moving forward. Iowa has the financial resources to compete in the transfer portal. They have the fanbase ready to back this team. And, more importantly than maybe all of it, they have the head coach in Ben McCollum, who knows nothing but winning and success.

What it also does for Iowa is give the Hawkeyes a bit more wiggle room in the Big Ten. Last year, Iowa went 10-10 in the Big Ten and never once was on the bubble. The Hawkeyes were a tournament team for most of the season, with seeding being the only question.

In this new field, you can look at Auburn as an example. They just missed the field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. They went 7-11 in the SEC. Now, yes, they did play a tough non-conference schedule, but their showing in SEC play left quite a bit to be desired.

In this situation, Iowa realistically has up to two games of breathing room in conference play, which would see them go 8-12 in the Big Ten, to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament. If the Hawkeyes can't muster up at least eight wins in conference play, they don't deserve to make the dance.

Making the NCAA Tournament is no longer a goal for the Iowa Hawkeyes. It is the bare minimum expectation.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire : What NCAA Tournament expansion means for Iowa basketball

Q&A

What is the new format for the NCAA Tournament with 76 teams?

The new format will feature 76 teams, with additional games on Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week, leading to a total of 12 games before the traditional 64-team bracket begins on Thursday.

How many additional teams will participate in the NCAA Tournament?

The expansion adds 8 more teams to the tournament, increasing the total from 68 to 76.

Will the NCAA Tournament expansion favor power conference teams or mid-major programs?

There is concern that the expansion may favor power conference teams with mediocre records, rather than providing more opportunities for successful mid-major programs.

What impact will the NCAA Tournament expansion have on March Madness?

The expansion is expected to increase the number of games and teams involved in March Madness, potentially altering the competitive landscape and fan engagement.