As many know NCAA at large bids were not earned until 1975. Kansas State earned 11 postseason bids from 1948 to 1974 by being the regular season conference champion (including ties). Had the current system been in place KState would have earned an additional 10 bids w top 2 or 3 finishes in their league and records good enough to be selected. So 21 out of 27 years a bid would have been earned. It's possible another 2 bids would have been earned in 1966 and 1967 when they finished 3rd and 4th. So possibly 23 out of 27 years. The other 3 or 4 years were lower division finishes (Tex's 1st 2 years, and Hartman's 1st year) and Gardner went 13-11, 8-4 in conference in 1949 (might have got in, might not have). Again, possibly 23 out of 27 years in the dance, maybe 24 out of 27. UNBELIEVABLE era of KSTATE basketball under Jack Gardner, Tex Winter, Cotton Fitzsimmons, and Jack Hartman.
Okay now from 1975 to 2018 KState has earned an additional 19 NCAA bids (including 2018). 18 of those are at large bids. Under the old system (Only conference regular season champions making the dance) KSTATE would have earned just 1 bid in 1977 (w KU earning the tiebreaker in 2013).
Would the old system have changed our approach from 1975 to now? Can you imagine just 1 bid in the last 43 seasons (w the old system), after basically earning a bid on average every other season or 2 seasons (from 1948 to 1974). Did we relax on basketball? Who knows. Obviously many things have changed many different ways in college basketball. What say you?
Okay now from 1975 to 2018 KState has earned an additional 19 NCAA bids (including 2018). 18 of those are at large bids. Under the old system (Only conference regular season champions making the dance) KSTATE would have earned just 1 bid in 1977 (w KU earning the tiebreaker in 2013).
Would the old system have changed our approach from 1975 to now? Can you imagine just 1 bid in the last 43 seasons (w the old system), after basically earning a bid on average every other season or 2 seasons (from 1948 to 1974). Did we relax on basketball? Who knows. Obviously many things have changed many different ways in college basketball. What say you?
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