How unusual was the ASUN men’s basketball tournament final Tuesday? The Jacksonville State Gamecocks — who weren’t even playing — were the true winner of the game.
The Bellarmine Knights (seen at top during a Feb. 5 game) and Jacksonville Dolphins met in the final. Normally, the winner would go to the NCAA tournament. This situation, though, was a bizarre three-way dance.
A win from Jacksonville was the least confusing option. If the Dolphins won, they would have advanced to the NCAA tournament. But Bellarmine is still in transition from Division II, which they started in the 2020-21 season; that makes them ineligible for national tournaments (in any sport) for four years. That’s where Jacksonville State comes in. As regular-season champions, the Gamecocks would receive the automatic bid in the event of a Bellarmine win.
Understandably, Jacksonville State was pulling hard for the Knights to win.
As it turned out, that’s exactly what happened.
https://twitter.com/thecomeback/status/1501350193572171782
As you can see, the Bellarmine team and fans were ecstatic.
The Jacksonville State team Twitter account was understandably excited, as well, giving credit to the Gamecocks’ Knights in Shining Armor.
That’s where the excitement ended. College hoops fans, in general, were not happy. They were miffed at the idea that a team would be barred from the sport’s greatest tournament after moving up in competition.
The fact that my guys won their conference tournament in only their SECOND season as a D1 program, but can't go to the tournament because of their probationary period tells you exactly how ridiculous the NCAA is.
Literally discourages success at the highest level they offer
https://t.co/Bb4QKxD9WY — Davis Schaefer (@DavisSchaefer) March 9, 2022
Bellarmine not being eligible for the NCAA Tournament because they are “too new” to D-1 is peak NCAA https://t.co/296fMK3pgJ
— Tyler Aki (@TylerAki_) March 9, 2022
Just an absolutely terrible rule https://t.co/6UVXFB2ClX
— Ben Showtime Spicer (@BSpicerMedia) March 9, 2022
The fact Bellarmine isn’t going dancing is an epic basketball travesty.
The transition rule needs to be fixed if you’re jumping up from a smaller division. #MarchMadness https://t.co/NlRDOm7i3T
— Jesse MacWilliam (@JesseMacTV) March 9, 2022
Admittedly, when you say the rule out loud, it’s hard to make any sense of it. Maybe the Bellarmine situation will get the NCAA to revisit this rule. For now, though, the Knights will have to settle for a conference championship.