Updated News: NCAA Guidelines for Men's and Women's Basketball

Wednesday evening, the NCAA announced their decision to start the 2020-21 college basketball season on November 25th.

Wednesday evening, the NCAA announced their decision to start the 2020-21 college basketball season on November 25th. 

The announcement comes weeks after four proposals by the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees were handed to the Division 1 council. The new date will provide an ample amount of time for procedures to be in place for a safe and healthy start to a new season. 

After losing out on March Madness, the NCAA will do everything right to make sure the same mistakes don't happen twice:

“The new season start date near the Thanksgiving holiday provides the optimal opportunity to successfully launch the basketball season,” NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt said in the release. “It is a grand compromise of sorts and a unified approach that focuses on the health and safety of student-athletes competing towards the 2021 Division I basketball championships.”

Guidelines: 

• No exhibition games or closed scrimmages will be allowed before that date.
• The maximum number of contests was reduced by four, given that the season will start 15 days later than originally scheduled.
• In men’s basketball, teams can schedule 24 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to three games; 25 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to two games; or 25 regular-season games if a team does not participate in a multiple-team event.
• In women’s basketball, teams can schedule 23 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to four games or schedule 25 regular-season games if a team does not compete in a multiple-team event.
• Teams will meet sport sponsorship requirements and be considered for NCAA championship selection if they play 13 games, which represents a 50 percent reduction of the current minimum.
• For NCAA championship consideration, all 13 games must be against another Division I opponent. The Division I Men's Basketball and Division I Women's Basketball committees also recommended teams play a minimum of four non-conference games.
• Programs can begin preseason practice on Oct. 14 and will have 42 days to conduct a maximum of 30 practices. During this time, players can work out up to 20 hours per week, four hours per day, and must have one day off per week.

Hopefully a schedule will be released in the coming weeks. 

No word whether Tar Heel fans will be able to attend games. 

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