Big news for college basketball fans: the NCAA tournament is getting even bigger. On Thursday, the NCAA unanimously voted to expand the men's and women's tournaments from 68 to 76 teams starting this upcoming season. That means eight more teams will get a shot at March Madness glory.

For powerhouse programs like the UCLA Bruins, this expansion might just be the cushion they need. Let's be real—a program with UCLA's storied history should never be on the bubble. But now, the margin for error just got a little wider. The Bruins women's team is coming off a historic season, setting a program record for wins and capturing a national title. Meanwhile, the men's team, led by Mick Cronin, made a Round of 32 exit as a No. 7 seed. With the tournament expanding, Cronin's squad has even less reason to miss the big dance entirely.

This isn't the first time the tournament has grown. The men's tournament jumped from 53 to 64 teams back in 1985, then expanded again to 68 in 2011. The women's tournament followed suit, moving from 48 to 64 teams in 1994 and then to 68 in 2022. Now, both tournaments are taking another step forward.

So, what does the new format look like? The "First Four" play-in round will expand significantly. Instead of eight teams playing four games, we'll see 24 teams battling it out in 12 games to earn a spot in the first round. These games are expected to take place on the Tuesday and Wednesday before the first round tips off on Thursday. The rest of the tournament—the round of 64 and beyond—stays the same.

NCAA President Charlie Baker called the move "anticipated" since last month, and it's clear the committee is committed to giving more teams a chance. For UCLA fans, that's good news. With 76 teams in the field, the Bruins have no excuse to miss the tournament—and that's exactly the way it should be for a blue-blood program.