Women’s tournament growing to 68 teams
The NCAA women’s basketball tournament is expanding to 68 teams beginning with the current season, giving it an equal number of participants as the men’s tournament as part of a concerted effort at gender parity.
The men’s tournament expanded to 68 teams in 2011 with four first-round games traditionally played in Dayton, Ohio. The first four for the women’s tournament will take place on the campuses of teams seeded in the top 16 this season, but they will move to a to-be-determined neutral site beginning with the 2023 tournament.
The expansion of the women’s tournament was among the recommendations put forth in August after a comprehensive external gender equity review conducted by the law firm Kaplan Hecker & Fink. It was commissioned after backlash over disparities in the men’s and women’s tournaments, including weight rooms and other facilities. Tech announcers suspended: The Big 12 conference issued a public reprimand of Texas Tech's football announcers and suspended the crew from announcing the Red Raiders' game vs. No. 10 Oklahoma State on Saturday.
The actions were prompted by comments criticizing the officiating during the radio broadcast of Tech's 41-38 win over Iowa State last week. A Tech official said those sanctioned were play-byplay man Brian Jensen and color commentator John Harris. MSU to reward Tucker: Michigan State and coach Mel Tucker are closing in on a new contract for 10 years and $95 million that will make him the second-highest paid coach in college football behind Alabama’s Nick Saban. Michigan State, 9-1 this season and No. 7 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, is 11-6 under Tucker.
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