Annual Reminder: Conference Tournament Week Is Better Than the NCAA Tournament

Look at this basketball tournament. That's obviously the best one we have this week — and maybe the best conference tournament we've ever seen — but in structure and purpose, we get 31 of those over the course of the next few days.

And while the big ones are mostly for entertainment and a few bubble teams trying to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the majority of these conference tournaments are the only things that matter for the small leagues that will only receive one bid. Furman and Wofford played for the Southern Conference championship on Tuesday night and it was one of the best games I've watched this year. One team goes to The Big Dance, one team goes home.

That's why conference championship week is the best. For the overwhelming majority of schools playing Division I basketball, just making it to the NCAA Tournament is the ultimate dream. If you can figure out how to win a game or two once you get there, even better, but these conference tournaments are what it's all about for most programs.

Delaware is one win away from an NCAA Tournament berth after finishing the regular season 12-19. This is why we do it.

Now throw in the fact that we still also get to see all the best teams in the country play for their conference titles against rivals and in rematches of some of the biggest games of the year and you have the best week on the college basketball calendar.

And if you're someone who enjoys responsibly wagering on DraftKings Sportsbook from time to time, you have 40 games a day as opposed to 16 on the first two days of the NCAA Tournament to choose from. This week is all ball, all the time.

Please don't get me wrong, I love the NCAA Tournament as much as the next guy and I think next Thursday and Friday should be national holidays as we celebrate the most electric postseason we have in sports. But the journey there might even be a little bit better for those with the eyes to see it.