From the First Four to the Final Four, the state of Indiana will host all of March Madness this year.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire NCAA men's basketball tournament will be held in the state of Indiana this year, with the majority of games played in Indianapolis in an effort to create a sort of bubble, the NCAA announced on Monday.
NCAA Tournament games two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium (with only one court in use at a time), as well as Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
“This is a historic moment for NCAA members and the state of Indiana,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “We have worked tirelessly to reimagine a tournament structure that maintains our unique championship opportunity for college athletes. The reality of today’s announcement was possible thanks to the tremendous leadership of our membership, local authorities and staff.”
The facilities in Indianapolis will allow teams to live and practice in a sort of bubble. The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility, with multiple courts set up inside the venue while the Marriott hotel will house most of the tournament teams. The properties are connected to the convention center via skywalks, allowing for a controlled environment. Secure transportation will be provided for teams as they travel to games.
The NCAA Tournament schedule is expected to remain relatively the same, with Selection Sunday still scheduled for March 14 and the Final Four on April 3 and 5, but other preliminary round dates are yet to be determined.
