Legends Classic Format Takes Heat

Above, insert, Cornell's Jeff Foote battles for a rebound in the paint on November 14 against UMass during the Legends Classic.

Although Cornell knocked off UMass in Amherst on November 14 in the first round of the Legends Classic, pursuant to the "tournament's" rules, UMass automatically advances to the semifinals in Atlantic City, while Cornell is sent to the "subregional round" on the campus of Drexel University in Philadelphia to play three back-to-back-to-back games this Friday through Sunday against mid-majors, including host Drexel, Toledo and Vermont. Below is the New Jersey Star Ledger's take on the unusual format.

Leave it to Gardner-Webb to change all the rules.

Two years ago in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic regional, Gardner-Webb was supposed to be another opponent for juggernaut Kentucky to steamroll over. Unfortunately, no one brought this to the attention of the Running Bulldogs. And thus, we have the problem with preseason college basketball tournaments: they all seem phony.

Take for instance, the Legends Classic, which begins Friday night in Atlantic City. For the first time in its three-year existence, the organization that runs it — the Gazelle Group — got a nice mix of quality national opponents, as well as local teams. (Anyone recall last year's Pittsburgh-Washington State final? Thought so.) However, if this is supposed to be a "tournament" with "regional sites," why do none of the teams advance?

Ah yes, the Gardner-Webb syndrome.

When Gardner-Webb won back in 2007, it busted up the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic bracket like a grenade, turning a dynamite Memphis-Oklahoma-Connecticut-Kentucky foursome into mush. So organizers changed the rules a bit and kept the regionals format, but locked in the big-name teams they wanted in there in case of a loss.

But why do we keep calling these tournaments then? In the Legends Classic case, two of the four teams — Rutgers and Massachusetts — have already lost. And frankly, had Rutgers not lost to Vermont on Sunday, the sexier matchup would have been to see the Scarlet Knights play Cornell (who beat the Minutemen), not Rutgers-UMass.

Organizers should do it like preseason tournaments such as the Maui Invitational or the Puerto Rico Tip-Off do: a few days, varied teams from varied backgrounds and do a legitimate tournament. Scratch the phony titles of "regional sites" if the big-time host is going to make it to the tournament anyway.

Isn't the threat of the upset what makes college basketball great?

Can you imagine if the NCAA adopted that policy?

"Congratulations George Mason, you just beat UConn. Unfortunately we already had the Huskies locked into the Final Four, so tough luck. But thanks for making it interesting!"