This quote underscores the additional hurdles faced by smaller schools in the tournament, even when they manage to secure an at-large bid. By noting that these schools are typically given lower seeds, the author implies that they are perceived as less competitive or deserving compared to teams from power conferences with higher seeds. This treatment places smaller schools at a disadvantage from the outset, making it more difficult for them to progress further in the tournament and achieve success on par with their counterparts from larger conferences. wirtten like a 8th grader

This quote shows that smaller schools in the tournament have a tough time, even if they get an at-large bid. They usually get lower seeds, which means people think they're not as good as teams from big conferences with higher seeds. This makes it harder for smaller schools to do well in the tournament and be successful like the bigger schools.