The COVID-19 pandemic forced college basketball to end its season abruptly in March and now threatens the start of its new season in November as well, and with "so much uncertainty, there are more questions than answers," but NCAA Senior VP/Basketball Dan Gavitt is trying to "provide clarity on the issues," according to a Q&A with Dana O'Neil of THE ATHLETIC. Below are excerpts from the Q&A, some of which have been edited for clarity and brevity:
Q: How is basketball better equipped to make a unilateral decision about the season start date, compared to football?
Gavitt: The oversight committee will play a big role in that, and the basketball committee as well, what with their authority over selection, seeding and bracketing when the tournament is held. I'm involved with all of them, and with the NABC as well, so there's some connectivity there.
Q: So the oversight committee will determine if the start of the season has to be changed for everyone?
Gavitt: Yes.
Q: Is there a deadline for determining the season's start?
Gavitt: Not exactly. Practice starts Sept. 29 for teams that are scheduled to play on Nov. 10. If we're going to make any alterations, I'd say it has to be in the middle of September.
Q: Can you be the de facto leader for basketball?
Gavitt: I don't want to dub myself anything, but I feel that responsibility and recognize the opportunity to try and help make an important decision for the good of the game.
Q: You've said previously that you believe there will be an NCAA Tournament in March. Why?
Gavitt: We are seeing basketball being played safely in Orlando and Bradenton right now. Now, while we may not be able to replicate what the NBA and WNBA are doing exactly, we can take and learn from that experience and, if necessary, implement that in a tournament setting. That's what gives me confidence for March Madness. That's a little more challenging during the regular season. All that being said, that's not our planning right now. Our planning is for a traditional format of the tournament, with the dates and sites as normal (THEATHLETIC.com, 8/13).
