Should the season be lengthened?

[DudeAnon]

With major conferences going to 20 conference games and most schools scheduling around 5 buy games. That leaves around 5 meaningful non-conference matchups. Personally, we are a month away from March but it really feels like a lot of teams are still growing and need more time. I advocate moving to 40 games total vs 30. This will allow teams to grow, fans to experience more, and introduce a more interesting non-conference.

Of course, I say this as someone who advocates making the players student-employees. One thing people forget about the college experience is the limits on practice and the practical limits of only playing 30 games. These are young men who are aspiring to move up in their careers, you can not tell me they would not jump at the chance for more games (even moreso if it comes with a pay bump.)

Thoughts?

[Savannah Jay]

I would like to see fewer buy games and more competitive games but don't think the season needs to be longer. The season is already longer than it used to be...IU's undefeated team in 1976 was 32-0. Nova's natty teams were 25-10 and 35-5.
I know not everyone gets that deep in the tournament but with the NCAA, NIT, and those other tourneys (that we hope our teams never/rarely play in), the CBB season is already pretty long IMO.

Seems like the season is long enough as it is...but would be curious to hear from college athletes or families of college athletes.

[MUPanther]

I strongly fell we play too many games in the regular season. 31 is too many. I would like to have 29 games. Example, Xavier was off 3 days for finals. Had to play a solid East Tenn State and almost lost. Couple less games and more practice and study time.

Another example about 7 years ago or so, Marquette was in Maui. Long travel. Game on Monday. Game on Tuesday. Game on Wednesday. Stayed in Maui for Turkey day. Flew back and got to Milwaukee about Saturday. Played a buy game on that Monday and travel to Florida to play the Gators for the Big East/SEC Series. So, Marquette wasn't even back a whole week from Maui, played and game in Milwaukee and in Florida. That's crazy. This is not the NBA.

[Edrick]

This year?

[gtmoBlue]

I strongly fell we play too many games in the regular season. 31 is too many. I would like to have 29 games. Example, Xavier was off 3 days for finals. Had to play a solid East Tenn State and almost lost. Couple less games and more practice and study time.

Another example about 7 years ago or so, Marquette was in Maui. Long travel. Game on Monday. Game on Tuesday. Game on Wednesday. Stayed in Maui for Turkey day. Flew back and got to Milwaukee about Saturday. Played a buy game on that Monday and travel to Florida to play the Gators for the Big East/SEC Series. So, Marquette wasn't even back a whole week from Maui, played and game in Milwaukee and in Florida. That's crazy. This is not the NBA.

Agree in part. I have written extensively on this topic over the years. Greed is driving the bus.

Shorten the season significantly. Go Back to a 27 game regular season. The season begins mid to late November, ends in March. Cut/eliminate either the non-conference exempt tourneys or the post regular season conference tourneys. (The conf tourneys make too much money so the non-conf tourneys are probably most likely to be cut.) So a 36 game season vs the current 40+ game season. Eliminate the staggered conference tourneys (saving a week). NCAA returns to 1st weekend in March...ends in March (hence March Madness).