Big Ten Coaches Push Shocking NCAA Tournament Expansion: Could More Teams Change Everything?

You know that feeling when you think something iconic is set in stone, but then bam—it’s about to shift in a pretty big way? That’s where we stand with the NCAA Tournament right now. The beloved 68-team showdown may soon stretch its arms to welcome 76 squads, potentially as soon as the 2026-27 season. I get it—there’s a crowd who’s clutching their pearls over the mere idea of tweaking March Madness, but plenty of Big Ten coaches aren’t just nodding; they’re seeing opportunity in this expansion. The last time we danced with a change was back in 2011, bumping the field from 64 to 68, and here we are again, at the brink of evolution. Coaches like Maryland’s Niko Medved aren’t just talking tradition—they’re acknowledging the landscape has morphed, and maybe it’s time our favorite American spectacle does, too. Curious to hear the voices of those shaping college hoops and their takes on what’s next? Dive in and… LEARN MORE

ROSEMONT, Illinois − In all likelihood, the NCAA Tournament will expand from its current 68-team format.

Traditionalists scoff at the thought, but Big Ten basketball coaches see positives in the reported potential expansion to 76 teams as early as the 2026-27 season.

The men’s NCAA Tournament was last expanded in 2011, going from 64 to 68 teams.

“I’ve generally been a purist throughout the years. I think March Madness is the greatest sporting event in our country. It’s uniquely American,” Maryland coach Niko Medved said. “But I probably think it is time to expand. I just think you’ve got so many factors going on that it’s different than it was 10 years ago. You’ve got to continue to evolve with the times.”

Medved is in his first season at Minnesota. He took Colorado State to the NCAA Tournament three times in the past four seasons.

Many of Medved’s peers are of the same belief, given that there are now more than 360 NCAA Division I programs.

“It’s still a small percentage of the teams compared to those that play bowl games,” said Oregon coach Dana Altman, who has led three different programs to a combined 17 NCAA Tournament appearances. “You know, you’ve got 135 teams and almost 100 of them are playing in a bowl game. I don’t think it will hurt a tournament at all. If it gets a few smaller schools in, great. If it gets a few more Power 4 schools in, great.”

Mick Cronin, a beneficiary of the NCAA Tournament fielding 68 teams when his UCLA squad in 2021 advanced to the Final Four from the First Four, is less concerned with expansion, citing the additional tasks of being a head coach in the current landscape of college basketball regarding NIL, fundraising, and a potential 5-in-5 rule that would allow players an extra year of eligibility.

Indiana’s Darian DeVries is in the same boat.

However many teams the NCAA Tournament includes, DeVries just hopes his Hoosiers are one of them.

Michigan’s Dusty May sees an expanded NCAA Tournament possibly leading to more aggressive non-conference scheduling for some programs, which benefits college basketball.

Ohio State’s Jake Diebler and Northwestern’s Chris Collins both admit their fondness for the current construction of the NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State coach Jake Diebler speaks during Big Ten men's basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.

But both have come around on the idea of expanding the field.

“I’m not against that, but I don’t want to expand so much that you feel like everybody’s getting in,” Collins said. “I still think there’s a merit of having a successful year to get yourself in. Whatever they’re talking about with whatever, eight more teams, I’m OK with that on the landscape.”

While the major push to expand likely revolves around revenue, Diebler sees the added bonus of getting more people to experience March Madness.

“It’s hard, though, because the tournament is so good. It’s the best. So change can make you a little nervous,” Diebler said. “But I think if we go that way, the one thing I know is there’s going to be that many more student-athletes that get to experience that. And it’s still going to be really, really hard to get in. But we can provide more opportunities for student-athletes to experience something they’ll remember for the rest of their life. Think it can be a good thing.”

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.