The NCAA is on track to start of the men’s and women’s college basketball seasons Nov. 25, following an NCAA Division I council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16, per Matt Norlander of CBSSports.
Source says Nov. 25 is the confirmed start date for college basketball’s season start.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) September 16, 2020
There will be no scrimmages or exhibitions at all this season and teams can start practicing as much as 12 hours per week starting Sept. 21, per Norlander.
Per NCAA rules, practices can start 42 days before the first game, so the Buckeyes can hit the practice gym as early as Oct. 14, which will tentatively mark the beginning of the preseason.
Additionally, regular-season capacity has been reduced by four games and the NCAA has voted to keep recruiting visits dead/banned until Jan. 1, per Norlander.
The council will also likely adjust the minimum and maximum number of games a team will need to play in order to be considered for the NCAA tournament, given a shortened schedule. Typically, the minimum number of games required to be eligible for March Madness is 25, while the maximum is 31.
Norlander indicated that the NCAA is expected to release more info in the near future, including COVID-19 protocols on game day and a new minimum of 12 games to be eligible for the NCAA Tournament.
Notably, the NCAA basketball season will begin without the Pac-12 and the Ivy League, unless either conference changes its course. The Pac-12 previously announced it would not partake in basketball prior to January, and the Ivy League put a pause on sports until at least the end of the fall semester.
The Division I Council is expected to address men’s and women’s basketball again during their next scheduled meeting in mid-October, where they will vote on any changes, per Norlander.
This is a breaking news story. Be sure to check BuckeyeSports.com for updates as it develops.
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