Lack Of NCAA Bids Leads ACC To Discuss 18-Game Conf. Schedule

ACC To Consider Expanding Conference Schedule To 18 Games

ACC ADs next month plan to meet to "discuss expanding the conference men's basketball schedule to 18 games," amid concern over the conference's number of NCAA tournament at-large bids in two of the past three years, according to Ken Tysiac of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. The Big East, Big Ten and Pac-10 all played 18 conference games last season, while the ACC has played a 16-game schedule since '91-92. N.C. State Univ. AD Lee Fowler said that the ACC "needs to explore the possibility of joining them after the conference had the nation's top RPI ranking but just four NCAA tournament berths" this year. The ADs are expected to discuss the topic at the ACC's spring meeting May 11-14 in Amelia Island, Florida. ACC coaches have been "wary that 18 ACC games would make their schedule too challenging and would make them reluctant to schedule attractive nonconference games." But more conference games could "pave the way" for the ACC to ask for more money from TV-rights holder Raycom Sports, because the schedule "would have more games that are attractive to advertisers." Collegerpi.com's Jerry Palm said that his studies "have shown that playing 18 conference games hurts a conference's RPI" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/30).