John Brannen knew exactly what he was doing.
Prior to ever coaching a game at Cincinnati, Brannen loaded up the Bearcats’ non-conference slate with quality mid-majors and consulted an outside analytics firm to assist. Those extra games of significance helped put the Bearcats in position to make the NCAA Tournament last March before everything was cancelled due to COVID-19.
He applied the same formula again in preparation for the upcoming season, complementing a home game against Xavier in the Crosstown Shootout with the start of two other home-and-home series’ at Fifth Third Arena versus both Louisville and Richmond. There was also a return game against Tennessee, another home game against SOCON upstart Furman, and two tilts in the Preseason NIT in a field that initially included Arizona, Texas Tech, and St. John’s.
But will any of that still matter?
Just days after the Pac-12 cancelled its non-conference games in college basketball for November and December due to COVID-19, Brannen and other coaches are concerned that the rest of the country may follow the Pac-12’s lead.
No non-league games for programs in the American Conference would mean fewer opportunities to showcase the league on a national level, which normally means less teams in the field of 68 on Selection Sunday.
“I want everybody to have an opportunity to get into the NCAA Tournament,” Brannen said Monday on the College Hoops Today Podcast. “I keep hearing that it (the NCAA Tournament selection process) may not be equitable. We’ve got to try to find a way for it to be as equitable as it can. I get that we’re in a different type of deal right now, but at the same time there’s expectations for coaches, teams, and players. The NCAA Tournament is something that we all shoot for.”
If no non-conference games are played next season, the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee would have to use less analytics and ultimately, a different method to seed the bracket in 2021.
Just last week, NCAA Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt spoke positively regarding the idea playing games during the 20-21 campaign, but warned that the process would be “imperfect” due to the challenges brought on by COVID-19.
What exactly does that mean?
The college basketball world won’t truly know until things play themselves out over the next few months.
Cincinnati finished 20-10 last season and won a share of the American Conference regular season title. The Bearcats lost arguably their top two all-around players in Jarron Cumberland and Tre Scott, but return a pair of double-figure scorers in Keith Williams and Chris Vogt.
Brannen also added that Cincinnati has filed a waiver with the NCAA for Michigan transfer David DeJulius to play immediately during the 20-21 season.
