That's why Dean Smith always thought the regulat season champs should get the NCAA nod. He undersood the conference tourney for what it was ($, marketing, fan involvement, etc.) . Mattered much more back when only one school from a conference got a bid and later with multiple schools, an automatic one.I wish US fans cared more about the regular season than they do.
The playoffs is a crap shoot. The regular season shows who the best teams are. Things like the top seed in the conference or President's Trophy should have far, far more meaning and pride associated with it than they are.