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Two MAC teams in NCAA VB tourney; this never happens in basketball

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So congratulations to MAC champion Northern Illinois and MAC runner-up Miami for being selected to the 64 team NCAA volleyball tournament. This is not the first year when several MAC volleyball teams were invited to the NCAA tournament.

I'm curious why this never happens in (men's or women's) basketball, where only the MAC Champion makes the NCAA basketball tournaments. I can't remember a year when the 2nd place team in the MAC was invited to the NCAA tournament. Several years ago, the Toledo women finished 27–2, one of the two losses was in the MAC Championship game, and the Rockets did not get invited to the NCAA tournament. I wish I knew why this happens. What's different between volleyball and basketball?

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