"Just don’t f*** with it": Analyst rips NCAA for tampering with March Madness format amid expansion talks

College basketball analyst Mark Zanetto blasted the NCAA for tampering with the March Madness format amid expansion talks for the prestigious tournament. He shared his thoughts about the issue during Wednesday's episode of "The Hoops Cap Pod."

Zanetto argued that the NCAA Tournament is fine as it is, with teams battling it out for a spot in the "Field of 68." The current format has 64 teams advancing to the first round of the Big Dance. Eight teams have to go through the First Four stage, with four of them reaching the opening round.

"March Madness is not your office," Zanetto said (TS- 20:04). "It doesn't need to be shuffled around. It's also not an investment fund where you're just going to tweak things and say, 'Let me just put a little money here and see if I can get a return.'"

"It's a treasure. It's the precious from Lord of the Rings — my precious, right? Just don't — for lack of a better word — just don't f*** with it. The minute you treat it like it's just any other tournament, you're going to ruin what makes it magic."

Zanetto urged the NCAA to preserve the magic of March Madness.

"Listen, I'm a professional tennis player by trade, used to be, 20-some years ago. Tournaments have always been my life, regardless of whether it's basketball or tennis tournaments."

"Keep it at 68. Even the magic of like a Wimbledon tournament doesn’t even remotely resonate with the world the way the NCAA Tournament does. And that’s coming from a tennis player. Keep it at 68 and let the Madness live."

Zanetto's plea may fall on deaf ears, as the NCAA is reportedly closing in on approving an expansion to 72 or 76 teams for future March Madness tournaments.

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2025 March Madness delivered plenty of drama

Upsets were lacking in the 2025 NCAA Tournament as all top-seeded teams advanced to the Final Four stage of this year's March Madness. Duke, Houston, Auburn and Florida stamped their class in the early rounds to book their spots in the national semifinals.

Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (#2) and guard Tyrese Proctor (#5) react during their game against the Houston Cougars in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Photo: Imagn

The Final Four delivered plenty of drama, though, especially the game between Duke and Houston. The Cougars denied Cooper Flagg a fairytale ending with the Blue Devils, finishing the game on a 9-0 run in the closing moments to secure a dramatic 70-67 win over Duke.

However, Houston's quest to win its first NCAA title ended in heartbreak, losing 65-63 to Florida in the championship game. The Gators erased a 12-point deficit in the second half to claim their third NCAA crown.