Is Regular Season Title Worth Automatic NCAA Bid

Monday during his weekly news conference Roy Williams stated that winning the regular season title should be worth and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.  First of all why should Roy care one way or the other because his Tar Heels are in regardless If they lose the first game they play this week in DC.

The Tar Heels won the regular season with a 14-4 record and are 25-6 over all.  How can teams overall record be compared to others since teams don't play each other in every game.  They have come up with a system call RPI.  RPI is a computer system that compares all teams regardless of who they play and compares each and gives the NCAA a reasonable accurate ability telling the NCAA who has played the toughest schedule and how they stack up against other teams RPI.  Carolina is 8th in RPI so their is no way the Heels don't play next week when NCAA starts.

The ACC champion officially is the tournament champion so there is no banner given by the ACC for winning the regular season and losing a game in the tournament.   The ACC is at the top of the heap so over all their all time winning percentage is still the best all time.  So why shouldn't the ACC get two automatic bids should the regular season champ get knocked off and the tournament champ get one too?

At the other end of the spectrum is the Big South Conference.  They held their conference tournament   At Campbell last weekend and look at the mess they have.   High Point and Winthrop tied for the regular season title at 13-5.  UNC Asheville and Coastal Carolina tied for second at 12-6.  High Point was 21-10, Winthrop 23-9, Coastal 18-11 and UNCA 22-11.  UNCA won the tournament and get the Big South Automatic bid.

High Point's RPI is 159 in the RPI and strength of schedule is rated 106 toughest.  Winthrop is 130 and SOS is 52.  Coastal Carolina is 170 and 8 in SOS and finally UNCA is 136 and 43 SOS.  Just for perspective North Carolina State who's record is 15-16 is 115 in the RPI but SOS is 28th.

If Carolina thinks the regular season champ should get a automatic bid should the Big South even get an automatic bid with not one team in the top 100?  It is obvious the tournament should have every conference represented.  It can not be a national championship if every basketball league is not represented.

Tuesday at noon the ACC tournament starts in Washington DC and State and Wake play at noon.  The winner plays Duke Wednesday at noon so by 2:30 Wednesday afternoon there will only be two North Carolina teams left in the tournament.  The ACC tournament is sure more exciting when at least two North Carolina teams in the semifinals.  Who would care if Virginia plays Miami in the finals.   Only Virginia and Miami fans would.