Consider Rick Pitino on board with the expanded NCAA Tournament.
The Hall of Fame coach alluded to as much on Monday, May 11 when he went onto X (formerly Twitter) to question why there is pushback on March Madness expanding from 68 to 76 teams on both the men’s and women’s side of college basketball starting this upcoming 2026-27 season.
“When I hear people are upset the NCAA expanded to 76 teams, I think “why and who cares?” The best teams advance and more teams get to experience the greatest tournament on earth,” the St. John’s basketball coach wrote on X.
LIKE IT OR NOT: March Madness is expanding to 76 teams, starting next season
The expanded tournament won’t impact the first round or any that follow, since games will still tip off from noon to midnight ET on that opening Thursday when 32 teams take the floor. The real impact will come in the days leading up to the first round.
On the men’s side, the First Four will expand from eight teams playing four games in Dayton to 24 teams playing 12 games across two sites. Dayton will remain a host for the play‑in round, while the NCAA will announce the second location at a later date.
The 73-year-old Pitino isn’t one to be shy about giving his opinions on NCAA-related topics and the current landscape of college basketball. He told a group of reporters, including USA TODAY Sports, at the 2024 Big East Media Day that he wanted college basketball to create 18- to 20-team “super leagues” to “combat football” at the then-height of conference realignment, which was triggered by football.
The May 11 social media post also isn’t the first time Pitino has expressed his pro-expansion thoughts. He told CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander at Big East Media Day in October of 2025 that expanding the field “can only help” and he’d be on board for it.
“What makes the difference?” Pitino said. “I don’t think it could hurt, it can only help. Anytime you get more teams, more excitement, more TV coverage, more things to speak about, more athletes participating, it can only be a good thing.
“For people who say, ‘No, we got to keep it.’ C’mon. I was around when I think it was 24, 32 (teams) whatever it was. … In this situation, you talk about eight more games. … It doesn’t hurt anything. It only helps. … What bad could come from it?”
Pitino has led St. John’s to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments (after being left out of the tournament in 2024 as a bubble team), and has led six different programs — others being Kentucky, Louisville, Providence, Iona and Boston University — to the NCAA Tournament.
2026: Michigan Wolverines
2025: Florida Gators
2024: Connecticut Huskies
2023: Connecticut Huskies
2022: Kansas Jayhawks
2021: Baylor Bears
2019: Virginia Cavaliers
2018: Villanova Wildcats
2017: North Carolina Tar Heels
2016: Villanova Wildcats
2015: Duke Blue Devils
2014: Connecticut Huskies
2013: Louisville Cardinals (title later vacated)
2012: Kentucky Wildcats
2011: Connecticut Huskies
2010: Duke Blue Devils
2009: North Carolina Tar Heels
2008: Kansas Jayhawks
2007: Florida Gators
2006: Florida Gators
2005: North Carolina Tar Heels
2004: Connecticut Huskies
2003: Syracuse Orangemen
2002: Maryland Terrapins
2001: Duke Blue Devils
2000: Michigan State Spartans
1999: Connecticut Huskies
1998: Kentucky Wildcats
1997: Arizona Wildcats
1996: Kentucky Wildcats
1995: UCLA Bruins
1994: Arkansas Razorbacks
1993: North Carolina Tar Heels
1992: Duke Blue Devils
1991: Duke Blue Devils
1990: UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
1989: Michigan Wolverines
1988: Kansas Jayhawks
1987: Indiana Hoosiers
1986: Louisville Cardinals
1985: Villanova Wildcats
1984: Georgetown Hoyas
1983: North Carolina State Wolfpack
1982: North Carolina Tar Heels
1981: Indiana Hoosiers
1980: Louisville Cardinals
1979: Michigan State Spartans
1978: Kentucky Wildcats
1977: Marquette
1976: Indiana Hoosiers
1975: UCLA Bruins
1974: North Carolina State Wolfpack
1973: UCLA Bruins
1972: UCLA Bruins
1971: UCLA Bruins
1970: UCLA Bruins
1969: UCLA Bruins
1968: UCLA Bruins
1967: UCLA Bruins
1966: Texas Western Miners
1965: UCLA Bruins
1964: UCLA Bruins
1963: Loyola Ramblers
1961: Cincinnati Bearcats
1960: Ohio State Buckeyes1 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2026: Michigan Wolverines
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March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2026: Michigan Wolverines
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March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2025: Florida Gators
3 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2024: Connecticut Huskies
4 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2023: Connecticut Huskies
5 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2022: Kansas Jayhawks
6 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2021: Baylor Bears
7 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2019: Virginia Cavaliers
8 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2018: Villanova Wildcats
9 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2017: North Carolina Tar Heels
10 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2016: Villanova Wildcats
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March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2015: Duke Blue Devils
12 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2014: Connecticut Huskies
13 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2013: Louisville Cardinals (title later vacated)
14 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2012: Kentucky Wildcats
15 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2011: Connecticut Huskies
16 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2010: Duke Blue Devils
17 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2009: North Carolina Tar Heels
18 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2008: Kansas Jayhawks
19 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2007: Florida Gators
20 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2006: Florida Gators
21 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2005: North Carolina Tar Heels
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March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2004: Connecticut Huskies
23 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2003: Syracuse Orangemen
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March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2002: Maryland Terrapins
25 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2001: Duke Blue Devils
26 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
2000: Michigan State Spartans
27 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1999: Connecticut Huskies
28 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1998: Kentucky Wildcats
29 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1997: Arizona Wildcats
30 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1996: Kentucky Wildcats
31 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1995: UCLA Bruins
32 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1994: Arkansas Razorbacks
33 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1993: North Carolina Tar Heels
34 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1992: Duke Blue Devils
35 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1991: Duke Blue Devils
36 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1990: UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
37 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1989: Michigan Wolverines
38 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1988: Kansas Jayhawks
39 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1987: Indiana Hoosiers
40 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1986: Louisville Cardinals
41 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1985: Villanova Wildcats
42 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1984: Georgetown Hoyas
43 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1983: North Carolina State Wolfpack
44 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1982: North Carolina Tar Heels
45 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1981: Indiana Hoosiers
46 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1980: Louisville Cardinals
47 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1979: Michigan State Spartans
48 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1978: Kentucky Wildcats
49 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1977: Marquette
50 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1976: Indiana Hoosiers
51 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1975: UCLA Bruins
52 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1974: North Carolina State Wolfpack
53 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1973: UCLA Bruins
54 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1972: UCLA Bruins
55 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1971: UCLA Bruins
56 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1970: UCLA Bruins
57 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1969: UCLA Bruins
58 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1968: UCLA Bruins
59 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1967: UCLA Bruins
60 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1966: Texas Western Miners
61 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1965: UCLA Bruins
62 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1964: UCLA Bruins
63 / 65
March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1963: Loyola Ramblers
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March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1961: Cincinnati Bearcats
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March Madness: Men's college basketball national champions since 1960
1960: Ohio State Buckeyes
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rick Pitino defends expanded 76‑team March Madness: ‘Best teams still advance’
