How the NCAA tournament built its ‘bubble’ in Indianapolis
The 68-team men’s tournament, which starts Thursday, is usually staged in 14 cities across the country. Here’s how Indianapolis plans to pull off the whole thing all by itself.
NCAA
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Indiana’s basketball coaching legacy looms large across America
Hinkle, Wooden, Knight and Keady form the Mount Rushmore of basketball innovation in Indiana, where successful coaches have spent more than a century testing novel concepts, breaking barriers and polishing philosophies before introducing them to America.
Picture yourself at the Final Four—as a cardboard cutout
The NCAA is giving fans an opportunity to buy cardboard cutouts of themselves to be sent to the games at a cost of $100 apiece, with a portion of the purchase price going to the United Way of Central Indiana’s COVID-19 relief effort.
Six NCAA tourney referees sent home after one tests positive for COVID-19
The NCAA said only one of the officials tested positive for the virus, but the other five were “identified as exposure risks due to prolonged close contact.”
With NIL reform in limbo, NCAA heading toward busy June
Despite the current gridlock, NCAA President Mark Emmert said he is still hopeful the NCAA will have uniform national name, image and likeness rules in place before the start of next football season.
Basketball temples in Indiana taking center stage at tourney
Six of the arenas that helped create Indiana’s basketball legacy will go on full display when the NCAA Tournament tips off later this week.
Backup plan: NCAA tourney standbys not expecting a call
Although the University of Louisville is the first alternate to fill an open spot in the NCAA Tournament, Coach Chris Mack isn’t optimistic. Meanwhile, potential replacement squads Colorado State, Saint Louis and Mississippi are prepared to play in the National Invitation Tournament.
Byington gets her shining moment calling NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
On Friday in Indianapolis, Lisa Byington will become the first woman to call play-by-play for an NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament game.
Indiana providing $15 Uber, Lyft credits in six cities
The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute says its Sober Ride Indiana pilot program will provide ride credits to the first 10,000 total rides through April 5. The program coincides with St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Update: Dozens of teams already in town as last-minute tourney prep falls into place
Teams must undergo a quarantine and testing period when they arrive in Indianapolis—and no one from the schools was allowed to make the trip without seven consecutive days of negative tests.
No positive COVID-19 tests yet for March Madness teams in Indy
Forty-six teams had arrived in Indianapolis for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament by late Sunday, and each was given a COVID-19 test upon arrival.
IBJ Podcast: The NCAA has 850 million reasons to love its deal with CBS and Turner Sports
IBJ columnist and investigative reporter Greg Andrews explains why the rights to March Madness are so valuable even as the media landscape changes quickly. And he tells host Mason King why it’s unlikely that the NCAA or its broadcast partners will want to renegotiate the deal—which runs through 2032.
Illinois beats Ohio State for Big Ten title, nabs No. 1 NCAA seed
Illinois and Ohio State are among nine Big Ten teams to win spots in the tournament, the most of any conference.
NCAA bracket is set—and 4 teams are on standby for COVID cancellations
Gonzaga, Baylor, Illinois and Michigan earned the top seeds. Kansas and Virginia, two programs hit with COVID-19 breakouts over the past week, made it into the bracket released Sunday by the NCAA selection committee.
Ohio State faces Illinois in Big Ten men’s finals
The teams are playing for an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament, although both teams are expected to make the field.
COVID problems at conference tournaments should be warning sign for NCAA
Big conference tournament games wound up as glum walkovers when teams withdrew due to COVID cases, leaving the question of whether the big bracket might suffer some similar fate, despite a bubble in Indianapolis.
Interest heating up for NCAA hoops tourney tickets, but matchups will determine demand
Tickets for many of the early game have sold out, although there are still seats available for games at Lucas Oil Stadium, where capacity is the largest. For other venues, tickets on some of the bigger resale web sites were being advertised for more than $250. Most were less.
March Madness TV-rights price tag continues to soar
The media landscape is in the throes of dramatic change that creates uncertainty but also adds to the value of events like the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament that attract huge live audiences.
Indy’s March Madness gig built on six decades of savvy decisions
Construction of a convention center, a basketball arena, a football stadium, to start. Countless audacious moves by a long line of political and civic leaders put the city in the position for an historic achievement.
Positive COVID-19 tests derail Kansas, Virginia conference tourney runs
The cancellations create uncertainty about the programs’ ability to participate in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in Indiana, which begins March 18.