The second round just wrapped with an even dozen upsets already in the books — a record for the opening 48 games and just one shy of the mark for the entire tournament — with all kinds of possibilities still out there.
Here’s a selection of photos from second round games on Sunday at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium.
The NCAA has run 8,015 tests through Sunday with only one confirmed positive at the women’s tournament using daily antigen testing. The men are using daily PCR tests, considered more accurate.
The huge upset handed the Big Ten Conference its fourth loss in the tournament on the way to six by the end of Sunday. The game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse was among the first in a tournament that has seen a host of upsets in the first round.
Here’s a selection of photos from first round games at Mackey Arena at Purdue, Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at Indiana University, Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler, Indiana Farmers Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium.
The NCAA announced the cancellation—officially declaring a “no contest”—about three hours before Virginia Commonwealth University was scheduled to tip off against Oregon in the West Region.
Capacity was limited to no more than 25% and bands and cheerleaders were noticeably absent. Still, most of the elements that make the NCAA Tournament America’s most beloved sporting event were on display Friday in the games played around central Indiana.
Purdue was the third Big Ten team out of the nation-leading nine it placed in the tournament to exit before the weekend.
Even with most of the seats empty, the roar of fans could be heard outside Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday afternoon as Virginia Tech hit a three-pointer in the final seconds to send the game into overtime.
NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt vowed to do better during a zoom call Friday morning, a day after photos showed the difference between the weight rooms at the two tournaments.
A two-year courtship that pitted Indianapolis against some of the largest U.S. cities culminated in the May 1997 announcement that Indianapolis had snagged the headquarters.
What’s in it for the individuals, organizations and companies that donate money to the efforts? Not typically tickets or advertising or big shout-outs. It’s civic pride more than anything else.
The changes the COVID-19 virus has forced upon the sports world involve not only the way games have been played and attended but also how they’ve been covered by the media.
The far-west-side club will also receive new basketballs and backpacks full of school supplies and Degree deodorant and antiperspirant products.
The Indianapolis Colts are among the 50 companies that have donated money to the Indy Championships Fund to help bring three huge sports events to Indianapolis: the NCAA Tournament underway now, the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2022 and the NBA All-Star Game in 2024. But the Colts have done more than donate. Pete Ward, the team’s chief operating officer, is on the fund’s board as well as the board of the Indiana Sports Corp., which is coordinating the effort.
Social isolation effects will be compounded by an isolation bubble with a reduced number of fans, restricted zones of access and restricted contact with family, friends and spectators.
“Hoosiers” made Hinkle Fieldhouse famous by Hollywood standards, but in the college basketball world, the home court for Butler University basketball was already a star.
Strict limits on crowd sizes in Mackey Arena at Purdue University for the NCAA tourney will dampen the tourism impact, but the games are still the biggest events to hit the West Lafayette area since the pandemic started.
The teams had barely landed in Texas when complaints of unequal treatment in the women’s and men’s NCAA basketball tournaments roared over social media posts.
Texas Southern beat Mount St. Mary’s 60-52 in the NCAA opener, while Drake topped Wichita State for its first NCAA win in 50 years. Also, Norfolk State survived Appalachian State 54-53.
