In a surprising turn of events, one of college basketball’s storied programs, UCLA, found themselves on the outside looking in as the brackets for March Madness were revealed. 

The Bruins, which is typically a high contender in the tournament, were left stunned by their exclusion, sparking a debate over the fairness of the selection process for March Madness.

UCLA’s absence from March Madness raised eyebrows among fans, given the team’s strong performance throughout the season. 

With a respectable record and notable wins against formidable opponents like Arizona, and Arizona State, many expected the Bruins to secure a top-seed spot in the tournament. However, when Selection Sunday arrived, UCLA was surprisingly excluded from the selection process. 

The controversy surrounding UCLA’s exclusion from March Madness highlights broader concerns about the transparency and consistency of the NCAA’s selection process.

Helge Hukari argues, “There is no reason a team the caliber of UCLA is not in March Madness this year. The fact that they were Sweet Sixteen contenders last year and the fact that they had a respectable record this season shows a bias that the NCAA is, as they believe you need to be at the top of your league in any league to make the tournament.” 

Hukari explains how the teams qualify for being high ranking in their league which explains the random teams that are in the tournament. In Hukari’s opinion, the NCAA should include ranking from the last tournament during their consideration process for teams in March Madness.  

As a result, deserving teams like UCLA are unfairly denied the opportunity to showcase their talents on college basketball’s grandest stage.