In the 2023-24 edition of the NCAA’s March Madness, Syracuse was one of the top-ranked schools in the country that missed out on the 64-team tournament, ranked as one of the first four out.
If NCAA President Charlie Baker gets his way, the tournament could expand to 72 teams or as many as 76. That decision would pave the way for schools that missed out in the current format, such as Syracuse during the 2023-24 season, to participate in the expanded field.
Baker, who hopes to expand the tournament as soon as next season, said the NCAA has already had conversations with TV providers for March Madness, such as CBS and WBD, about the changes.
For the changes to take effect for next season, Baker said a decision would have to be reached early this summer.
Regardless of whether the changes would be for next season or the year after, the news is a massive win for Syracuse. Even if the tournament only expands to 72 teams, that’s still eight extra slots for the Orange to be included in March Madness, and it’d be 12 if the field stretched to 76 teams.
After Syracuse struggled during a historically bad season last year, the Orange were active in the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in some of the top available players in the country, like Naithan George and Nate Kingz.
Those pickups are in addition to a strong recruiting class featuring the likes of Kiyan Anthony, the son of Syracuse basketball legend Carmelo Anthony, and five-star recruit Sadiq White.
A lot would have to go right for the Orange to put the pieces together just a year after their worst performance in ACC conference play in program history, but Syracuse playing in an expanded NCAA tournament would instantly win over fans after its struggles.
The college basketball world will be eagerly waiting for the decision from Baker and the rest of the NCAA’s higher-ups, which could have major ramifications for a Syracuse program looking to prove it can still be successful in the era of NIL.
