OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Thirty conferences have met the criteria for automatic qualification to the 1992 NCAA basketball tournament, eliminating the need for a play-in, the NCAA announced Monday.
The 30 automatic bids is three fewer than for the 1991 tournament, when the number exceeded the number of slots available in the field. The NCAA Executive Committee has set aside only 30 of the 64 tournament berths for automatic qualifiers.
Last season, the winners of the six lowest-ranked conferences according to the NCAA computer ratings were forced to win a preliminary game to enter the tournament field. Those conferences were the Big South, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Northeast, Patriot, Southland and Southwestern Athletic. Each conference has been guaranteed entry this year.
The East Coast and Metro conferences lost their automatic entry. The Metro's loss in stature comes after two conference members joined other conferences and a number of others broke away to form the Great Midwest Conference. The Great Midwest also does not meet qualifying criteria for the 1992 tournament.
In addition, the American South Conference was absorbed in July by the Sun Belt Conference, which retains its automatic berth.
Conferences receiving automatic qualification for their champions are the Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10, Big East, Big Eight, Big South, Big Sky, Big Ten, Big West, Colonial Athletic, Ivy League, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern, Midwestern Collegiate, Missouri Valley, North Atlantic, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Pacific-10, Patriot, Southeastern, Southern, Southland, Southwest, Southwestern Athletic, Sun Belt, Trans America, West Coast and Western Athletic.
In a related action, the NCAA men's basketball committee decided to recommend that no action be taken against the Big East and Southwest conferences regarding procedures for assignment and retention of basketball officials.
A review was conducted after allegations surfaced that basketball coaches were exerting influence to keep some officials from working conference games. In addition, it was reported the conferences had dismissed officials contrary to approved procedures that are a condition of automatic NCAA Tournament qualification.
Commissioners of both leagues have filed separate responses with the committee, which were accepted.
'Because the integrity and image of college basketball are at stake, the committee continues to be concerned about coaches having an undue influence regarding in-season officiating matters,' said Thomas J. Frericks, chairman of the committee. 'The committee will ask all conferences to review their procedures regarding the evaluation of officials and plans to continue its review of the 'no scratch' policies.
'The committee recognized the importance of coaches' advice in officiating matters. However, the committee emphasized the overriding importance of authority in the hiring, assigning and dismissal of basketball officials.'
Frericks said the committee will annually request that conferences provide a copy of their evaluation procedures, a ranking of officials and a list of any officials who have been dismissed or have retired.
