Did you see Morehead State beat Alabama State to get into the Big Dance? Unless you had money on it, went to one of those schools or are an immediate family member of a player in the game, then the answer is no.

While the lack of interest in the game is one thing, there is a bigger issue here, and it is why that it is time to change the format for the play-in game.

What about Alabama State?

At 22-10, Alabama State won the SWAC, and in their minds,earned a spot to play in the tournament and a shot to shock the world on CBS. Instead, they were relegated to Tuesday night hoops on ESPN against 20-15 Morehead State, who also won their conference.

Both teams earned a right to play in the tournament and only one of them will. That’s just not fair.

Why should the Alabama State players not get to enjoy the atmosphere of being in the real tournament. This was not being in the tournament, this was two teams that won their conference (the only requirement to earn your way into the tournament) and they are playing in a game no one is watching and getting no real reward for their season.

So why not change the format? Put Morehead State and Alabama State in the tournament, and have two bubble teams play each other. Do you really think that an Arizona-Wisconsin game would have done worse on ESPN? Don’t you think it is more fair for two conference losers to play in the play-in over two conference winners?

I sure do.

The play-in game is a joke. And I don’t mean that because it involves lower caliber basketball. I mean that because it is played between two teams that earned their spot in the tournament. Trust me, there will never be a play-in game that involves a non-conference winner. The play-in game, in its current format, will always be between two teams that won their conference.

I can’t see where this is hard to change. Put two bubble teams in a play-in game, and reserve them a 12-seed. You just put Morehead State and Alabama State in the tournament as 16-seeds, and everyone below them jumps up one spot on the 64-team rankings. When you get to the spot where bubble teams are seeded, you leave an empty spot.

By most accounts, Arizona and Wisconsin were among the last two teams in to the tournament. Of course, Arizona had no business getting in to begin with, but for the sake of my argument, we’ll just accept that they are in.

Having two true bubble teams play to get in, while rewarding every conference champion with a berth in the tournament is the only fair way to use the play-in game. I don’t care that Morehead State and Alabama State have zero chance to win it all — a lot of teams don’t. But if you’re going to have a ridiculous 64-team bracket, at least include all the conference champions.

Apparently, when it comes to NCAA postseasons, nobody can get it right. A tournament is right, but you have to do it right. The guys on Wisconsin and Arizona and every other bubble team can understand why they are not in the tournament — they didn’t win their conference. But winning your conference, then having to go to Alabama State to win again before really going to the tournament is just terrible.

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