College basketball season tips off

The NCAA usually launches its basketball season in early November but canceled several preseason tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, 19 of the Associated Press’ top 25 teams in the country will open their seasons against unranked opponents. No. 1 Gonzaga will take on No. 6 Kansas on Thursday in the first top 10 game of the year.

What other effects has the pandemic had on the season? The NCAA plans to hold its 2021 basketball tournament in a single location. Teams will conduct regular COVID-19 testing and shorten their seasons by several games. The Ivy League already canceled its season completely. “We know we’re going to have March Madness. We know we’re going to have a regular season. We just don’t know much about both,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Dig deeper: Read Sharon Dierberger’s report in Muse on college football’s return in September.