FREE MERRIMACK: The NCAA's Asinine Rule Is Preventing Them From Making The NCAA Tournament, Gives Out A Pointless Bid

Here we go again. Last year it was Bellarmine who won the A-Sun Tournament but couldn't go to the NCAA Tournament for the same reason. This year it's Merrimack, who is playing FDU in the NEC Tournament title game on Tuesday. Except the game doesn't matter. FDU can lose and still go to the NCAA Tournament because of an asinine rule.

The transition rule. Merrimack moved to Division I in the 2019-20 season making this its fourth year at this level. If you move up you are ineligible for the NCAA Tournament the first four seasons because of the transition rule. It makes no sense. If we can have 363 Division I teams (far too many) making teams sit out for 4 years is pointless. If they are good enough to win their conference, send them to the NCAA Tournament. 

The NEC is as low-major as it gets. It was wide open and you have a team who went 12-4 in the conference, in the title game not eligible because of this. I hate it so much. I know Merrimack wants to win the NEC Tournament because it's a banner they can still hang. But come on. Get rid of the transition rule. 

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It's simple. If you are in Division I and win a conference tournament, you play in the NCAA Tournament. I know people will say the transition rule prevents teams from making the jump, but how about some common sense. Can we cap the teams at Division I? There are far too many teams to begin with, stop letting teams in. Let the boys play.