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People would say that a #16 seed has never beaten a #1 seed in NCAA tournament history... and they would be right. People would say that none of the #16 seeds from this year have any prayer of knocking off the #1 seeds from this year... and that is likely the case. You could also say that Florida A&M and Niagara, no matter who wins this year's play-in game, can't beat. That said, the #64 vs #65 is still necessary. Two teams that won their respective conferences should be given the shot to compete in the tournament, regardless of who they end up playing. Remember, along with all four of the number #16 seeds in the past, 28 other teams also lose on the first day of the tournament.

The question then shouldn't be whether or not the #64 vs #65 games is necessary, but whether it is fair. These two teams won their conference tournaments, beating out the best competition that they could possibly face this time of year, and came out on top. They played well when it mattered the most, according to many expert basketball analysts. Yet, other teams that won the last at-large bids, like Old Dominion and Illinois, were unable to give as good of showings in their own conference tournaments, and yet they get higher seedings. How is this right?

True, these other teams did challenge themselves in non-conference play, but they also have the benefit of better recruiting classes than a lot of these smaller schools that won their conference tournaments. In my mind, the #64 vs #65 game is necessary but is misused. The game shouldn't be used to weasle out the winner of a weaker conference, but to give the chance for the last two contenders for an at-large bid the chance to compete for it. Wouldn't it be better if say Drexel and Florida State were playing for a #16 seed in the #64 vs #65 game? If this kind of change were made, it would benefit all parties involved... the teams, the fans, the NCAA, even the networks, because you would have all the conference winners in, as well as the best of teams on the bubble competing to get in.

Learn more about this author, Robert Solis.
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