The basketball purists won't like it, but the players and the programs will likely appreciate an easier chance to get to the NCAA Tournament.

In news reported on Monday by Ross Dellenger of ON3, the NCAA Basketball Tournament is getting ready to expand to 76 teams.

While not finalized yet, executives are said to be "inching closer" to the change. There would be a 12-game "opening round" which would be played at two sites. This would begin in 2026-2027.

Right now, the field is 68, with a set for "First Four" games being played in Dayton, Ohio.

There's certainly a lot to unpack here, so let's just go through some of the immediate takeaways.

The purists will hate it

Any time there's change on the horizon, the purists don't like it. It would be hard to blame them on this one, as the NCAA Tournament is largely regarded as one of the best postseasons in sports. Furthermore, with 76 teams in, the NCAA would be letting in more than 20 percent of its member programs, though it should be noted that nearly half of the teams in the NBA, NHL and NFL all make the playoffs in any given year.

The regular season might become watered down

Getting to the NCAA Tournament is a reward for a solid season for power and mid-major conference teams. Now, the regular season will mean less, with eight more teams eligible to get into the tournament.

The conference tournaments will become watered down

We will still see conference tournaments that matter, but the "on the bubble" teams will be relegated to teams that are less and less deserving.

What happens to the mid and low-majors?

There has been an outcry for years that mid and low-majors who fail to win their conference tournaments are unfairly left out of the NCAA Tournament. Will these extra eight bids go to them, or will it end up being just another way to get more power conference and revenue producing teams in?

How about the other end-of-year tournaments?

Get ready for an NIT full of under .500 teams. And what happens to the CBI? Might as well sign your local high school up for some extra action.

How about the impact on Washington?

Well, if the extra eight bids are given to mid-majors, then I guess points one and two aren't as big of concerns. If the extra eight bids are given to power conference teams, then Washington has a better chance of reaching the tournament each year, but it would water down the meaning of the regular season and the Big 10 Tournament for the Huskies.

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