Gonzaga would never be a power player in basketball if weaker conferences weren't allowed into the tourney like they always have been.

Excluding conferences holds back schools from investing in their programs more because they don't get the same amount of money. It is why we are so excited to get into the Big 12. We are finally going to get the money of the big boys and have the potential to compete on their level. Will it happen over night, of course not but there is potential. Look at what Utah has been able to do with the money. It took about ten years but they are now a consistent top 25 team. Does that happen to them without access, of course not.