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Shaka Smart and the Texas Longhorns have one goal this season and it is to make the NCAA Tournament. According to a report, if the Longhorns do make the postseason, the entirety of the tournament will be played in one city.
While Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Indianapolis Colts) was already scheduled to host the Final Four and National Championship, the city of Indianapolis is expected to host the entire tournament. Nothing has been finalized yet but discussions between the NCAA and the state of Indiana have begun.
Cities such as Dallas, Detroit, and Providence were scheduled to host early-round games. Brooklyn, Denver, Memphis, and Minneapolis were going to host Elite Eight matchups.
The NCAA released a statement on Monday afternoon, explaining their decision.
In recent weeks, the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee has engaged in a thorough contingency planning process to determine the most effective way to conduct a safe and healthy March Madness for all participants for the 2021 championship. Through these discussions, it became apparent to the committee that conducting the championship at 13 preliminary round sites spread throughout the country would be very difficult to execute in the current pandemic environment. The committee has decided the championship should be held in a single geographic area to enhance the safety and well-being of the event.
NCAA relocating 2021 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Sites: https://t.co/vIXw2BBDID pic.twitter.com/Ki8EGMZmWz
— NCAA (@NCAA) November 16, 2020
If everything remains on schedule, the NCAA Tournament will kick off with the First Four on March 16 and 17. The Final Four is currently slated to take place on April 3 with the national championship two days later.
For the Longhorns, their season begins on Wednesday, Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving. Big 12 play will start with the preseason No. 1 team in the country, the Baylor Bears, on Dec. 13.
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