The Return of College Basketball

College basketball is finally back after the longest hiatus in the history of the sport. Last March the country was gearing up for another exciting month of March Madness, when the world was turned upside down by the global pandemic. March Madness was one of the first major sporting events that was cancelled due to the coronavirus, so it’s nice having the excitement on the hardwood back for a new season. College basketball will be no different than other sports getting back to action during the pandemic. Arenas will not be filled, players and coaches will get tested regularly, and schedules may change due to positive test results.

A Rough Start
This college basketball season is already shaping up to be one of the shortest ever. With the season currently underway, many games have already been postponed or cancelled. This comes after the start of the season was pushed back two weeks from its normal start date. There is no doubt that some schools will be affected much more than others. Mid-major schools may struggle with tournament bids and money if they are unable to play teams from major conferences. The tournament committee will also have a tough time seeding teams with fewer games played or having numerous players missing from rosters due to positive test results.

No Fans in the Stands
On campuses and in arenas across the country, each school is handling the basketball season a little differently. Florida State recently installed a plexiglass barrier between the fans and the court, while North Carolina and many other schools have been spacing their bench seats between coaches and players. Krzyzewskiville, the popular spot at Duke where students camp out for tickets, will be non-existent. These schools will certainly miss the ‘6th man’ energy this season without any crowds, but some have argued it may help some players with their shooting – like what was seen in the NBA bubble earlier this year. With smaller crowds come less distractions and better depth of field judgement for shooters. Regardless, college athletics bring a lot of traditions, and a part of the game will be missing this season without them.

What to Expect
College basketball started conference play in December, which also brings new challenges. This may be easier for some schools as it requires less travel and it becomes easier to reschedule any games that need to be postponed. Unfortunately, it has already become difficult to keep up with the postponements, and unlike college football, there are a lot more games that need to be played before the conference tournaments and March Madness. There is speculation that the post season tournaments may take place in one central bubble, most likely Indianapolis, instead of having the teams play in different regional locations. In 2020, March Madness was the first major sporting event affected by the pandemic. Coming into 2021, organizers can now model their post season tournaments after the way major sports teams handled their seasons and playoffs. Expect a bubble atmosphere for players and coaches, testing every day, and no fans…except for the virtual ones. The NCAA has already pledged the show will go on this year, so it’s safe to expect them to do everything within their power to make the 2021 NCAA Basketball Tournament a successful one, maybe with just a little more madness.