INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA announced Monday that this year’s 67 men’s basketball tournament games, including the Final Four, all will be played in Indiana.
Games will be played on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium with only one game at a time being played. Ball State University's Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse, IUPUI's Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena at Purdue and the University of Indiana's Assembly Hall in Bloomington will also host games.
Essentially, the plan is to play March Madness something akin to a bubble to reduce travel and the risk that teams won't be able to play due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
"The NCAA is partnering with a local health provider to administer COVID-19 testing within the controlled environment for players, coaching staffs, administrators and officials," the NCAA said in its release announcing the postseason tournament structure. "The Marion County Health Department has approved medical protocols shared by the NCAA and will continue collaborating with the NCAA leading up to and during the championship."
The 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament was canceled during the early days of the pandemic in the U.S.
Selection Sunday will remain on March 14, according to a release from the NCAA, and championship weekend is still scheduled for April 3 and April 5. Preliminary round dates have not yet been determined.
The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility and teams will be housed in hotels connected to the facility.
Two courts will be set up inside Lucas Oil Stadium, though only one game will be played at a time.
CBS Sports and Turner Sports will broadcast the tournament on CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV similar to past years.
Wichita's Intrust Bank Arena was slated to host first- and second-round NCAA tournament games in March. The NCAA announced in October that Wichita also would host tourney games in 2025.
