News On The Horizon 5/17/2026

These Are the Breaks--HoriZone Roundtable

Bigger bracket, bigger questions: What NCAA tournament expansion means for local programs--Dayton Daily News

Wright State players react after the team’s tournament seed and opponent was announced during an NCAA tournament selection watch party the athletic department held at the university’s Student Union on Sunday, March 15, in Fairborn. Wright State is in the Horizon League conference. BRYANT BILLING / STAFF

Bryant Billing

A regular season that mattersLike Miami, Wright State plays in a conference where the only path — except in rare instances, like with Miami this past season — to the NCAA tournament is through the conference tournament.

The Horizon League last produced two NCAA tournament teams (Butler and Cleveland State) in 2009. Miami was the first MAC team to receive an at-large berth since 1999, when Wally Szczerbiak led the RedHawks to a historic season.

Sargent, who earned his first tournament berth as a head coach this past season, understands the viewpoint of the fans who think expanding the tournament lessens the importance of the regular season.

Many fans and national media members pointed to the examples of some of the first four teams left out of the 2026 tournament — Auburn (17-16) and Indiana (18-14) — as teams they don’t want to see in the NCAA tournament.

“I think you want it to be as difficult as it possibly can be to make it in,” Sargent said. “I’m just a big believer in the regular season mattering as much as it possibly can to drive competitiveness. It gets to the point where it gets too big, and now people are apathetic towards the regular season and regular-season championships.”

The regular season will still matter as much as ever in most of the 31 Division I conferences.

“You always want to be able to schedule in a way that can improve your seed line and put yourself in the best possible position to create a great resume,” Sargent said, “but, ultimately, we have to be great in our league to position ourselves to make the tournament. That’s still my focus.”