Will the 2021 NCAA Tournament be played in a bubble?
Time will certainly tell, but recent spikes of COVID-19 have influenced the NCAA’s thinking regarding its most prestigious event, according to NCAA Senior VP of Basketball Dan Gavitt.
“It’s certainly influenced our thinking,” Gavitt said Thursday morning when asked if recent COVID-19 outbreaks expedited the NCAA’s thinking about putting the 2021 NCAA Tournament in a bubble. “The contingency planning for the NCAA Tournament right now is just as significant as it was for the regular season.”
While college basketball is set to begin on Nov. 25, many obstacles continue to be at the forefront of the sport.
Programs continue to scramble to fill out their respective non-conference schedules, with different protocols for each league making it difficult for things to be completed. Several early season tournaments have already been cancelled.
The CDC’s mandatory 14-day quarantine when one player tests positive for COVID-19 has also been a major hurdle, as several programs have already had to pause their respective workouts.
“We’re hopeful that may evolve during the season,” Gavitt said regarding the 14-day quarantine. “I don’t anticipate there’s going to be a change before the season begins.”
Many coaches and people of influence in college basketball feel that this is the biggest obstacles in the way of getting enough games in for the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee to seed the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The NCAA is requiring teams to play a total of 13 games to be eligible for the bracket.
It’s another reason why many believe that the only surefire way to play the field of 68 next March may be in a bubble.
“We’ve spent every day, every week, and every month trying to figure to out what works and what doesn’t in regards to all of this,” Gavitt added. “It’s all been time spent on preparing for the NCAA Tournament. This is going to be an imperfect season. There’s going to disruptions, but it’s going to be a successful season even if it’s going to be a bumpy ride at times. One very important thing to remember — we’re all in this together.”
