NCAA exploring FOUR potential college basketball scenarios
When the Pac-12 announced on August 11 that it was cancelling the fall sports season (while potentially postponing the football season), it also threw a massive wrench into the upcoming college basketball season.
Part of the Pac-12's announcement was regarding more than just the fall sports season, as it was cancelling ALL sports activities for the remainder of the 2020 calendar year.
“The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports has been our number one priority since the start of this current crisis,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. “Our student-athletes, fans, staff and all those who love college sports would like to have seen the season played this calendar year as originally planned, and we know how disappointing this is.”
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
While the big concern has been about Utah getting its college football season canceled/postponed, very little has been made of what's happening for the Utah men's and women's basketball seasons.
Typically with a November start date, it means that the entire nonconference season has been wiped out if the schedule doesn't adapt to the changes — Pac-12 play usually begins right after the New Year.
“Maybe we’ll start in January and finish in May and all conference play gets moved back," Krystkowiak said. "We’re one of the first ones to make a decision of this magnitude as a league and we’ll see what happens with the rest of the country. That’s our hope that maybe we can get whole season in and just back it up a couple of months.”
With that cancellation comes the expected loss of the annual Utah-BYU game rivalry game. The teams were expected to meet on Dec. 12 this season down in Provo, but are now hoping to make up the game in following the New Year in 2021.
According to a report by CBS Sports, the NCAA is disregarding the Pac-12's intention of not playing until 2021 by moving forward with the 2020-21 schedule. They're looking at four potential start dates options, including the original schedule.
Option 1
First practices allowed: Sept. 29
First day of season: Nov. 10 (No change to start of season)
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Option 2
First practices allowed: Oct. 9
First day of season: Nov. 20
Option 3
First practices allowed: Oct. 14
First day of season: Nov. 25
Option 4
First practices allowed: Oct. 24
First day of season: Dec. 4
Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
"Sources told CBS Sports the NCAA's men's basketball oversight committee and the men's basketball selection committee are holding separate meetings Wednesday to discuss these potential start dates, among other action items. On Thursday, Division I conference commissioners will hold a meeting to discuss the basketball season, as will the NABC. On Friday, the women's basketball committee and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association will convene and seek feedback on the recommended models as well."
While these are the dates that are currently being discussed, they aren't the only options on the table. The January starting option is on the table but that won't be seriously discussed until the fall if these dates fizzle out.
Krystkowiak knows what he's talking about when regarding the potential for an upcoming season. He is one of two Pac-12 coaches on a 35-person committee, made up of mostly medical professionals, who have been meeting to discuss multiple possibilities for playing college basketball in early 2021.
“Our medical team in the Pac-12 has been unbelievable — they would win any championship you could create,” he said. “Their projections are that these numbers are supposed to diminish by November. So instead of making a mistake (by starting the season in November), we’re going to have six to eight weeks of practice to really get dialed in and be ready to tee it up when hopefully the worst of this is behind us on Jan. 1.”
If college football can play this fall and succeed, it will give off a lot of confidence in whether or not the same thing can be done for college basketball.
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