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Daily Madden: Cal Poly Is A Symbol Of March Madness

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Cal Poly, the winner of the Big West conference title despite a 13-19 record, won a play-in spot in the NCAA tournament and will face Texas Southern Tuesday.

"Go Mustangs! It's the first time we've ever been in it," Cal Poly alum John Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew.

But Madden was surprised to hear about the Mustang's regular season record.

"I didn't know that. I thought they got sneaky good and I didn't know it. 13 and 19?"

Madden wouldn't go so far as to say Cal Poly should turn down the invitation. But he said he did agree with Indiana's coach, who declined to have his team play in the College Basketball Invitational post-season tournament after being left out of the NCAA's and the NIT.

"Those college basketball players play enough games, and if they don't want to go to some tournament that's not THE tournament, then why do it?" Madden said. "It doesn't make any sense to me. But it goes to why even have those tournaments. Of course we know the answer, it always goes back to money.... (The NCAA is) the big tournament, that's the tournament that's going to decide who's the best college basketball team in basketball this year. And you don't need another one. You really don't." (7:20)

Daily Madden

Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.

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