Under Monday's plan, big schools and mid-majors will have opportunities to earn their way into the final 64.
Kent State men's basketball coach Geno FordWelcome to a late afternoon edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports.
On today's show, which was pushed back to this afternoon because of the passing of Cleveland native George Steinbrenner, host Chuck Yarborough and Plain Dealer college basketball writer "Elton John" Alexander (hear him sing at the end of the video!) discuss the new 68-team format for the NCAA Tournament.
Elton explains how Monday's announcement to move to four "play-in" games - instead of the current one - is seen as a way to make the lowest at-large qualifiers and the lowest automatic qualifiers earn their way into the field of 64.
Also, they talk about whether mid-major schools like Cleveland State and Kent State will be helped by the expansion.
• Do you like the set-up the NCAA announced Monday and the expansion to 68 teams? Vote in the Starting Blocks poll posted now in the blog.
Starting Blocks TV will return Wednesday morning with Plain Dealer sports writer Dennis Manoloff as the guest.