NCAA Expands Tournament, Syracuse's Chance at Glory

0:00On April 30th, the NCAA is expanding the men's basketball tournament from 68 to 76 teams, handing Syracuse a real shot at ending. They're five-year drought without the dance. This change boosts bubble teams like the Orange, who've been on the edge too many times, making it easier to sneak in without needing a perfect. Resume. Fans aren't popping champagne though. Many see it as fixing a problem nobody wanted solved, since those brutal snubs built the fire under Syracuse over the years. Look back at 2007, 22 wins, 10 losses, but left out for the NIT, sparking 26,000 fans to protest at the dome, or 2017, when they beat three top 10 teams yet still watched from home. That 2002 miss even fueled their national title the next year. Irony is more spots might rob programs of those defining moments that sharpen the edge. Still, for Syracuse climbing back, those extra bids could be the key to relevance without that looting the whole madness vibe.