FBI investigates NCAA and then the following teams don’t make the tourney:

[Ute Dub]

Arizona, Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina. Simultaneously the P12 has a surge in the tourney whereas the P12 had been mediocre the past decade. Suddenly, there a lot more parity in the tourney this year, it seems, except Gonzaga, maybe. I’m not saying causation, but it’s an interesting potential correlation.

[PlainsUte]

Not to ruin a perfectly good conspiracy theory, but its possible that the FBI/NCAA cloud hanging over those teams, plus, Kansas and Oklahoma State, might affect their recruiting/retention and play through the season, or at least be a distraction for the coaching staffs.   Not to mention COVID issues and worries about COVID. 

Although Kansas and Okla State made the tournament, for the first time nearly a decade Kansas did not dominate the Big-12; they struggled on the road all season.

[Ute Dub]

Yeah. Just some interesting trends for sure, whether due to Covid or new rules, I have very much enjoyed the tourney this year whatever the reasons.