“We can’t operate in a bubble like, for example, the N.B.A. did this year with its postseason, though we will have similar protocols in place to protect the health and safety of those involved,” he said.

Discussions concerning the Division I women’s basketball tournament are still ongoing, said Lynn Holzman, the N.C.A.A.’s vice president for women’s basketball. That tournament generally uses more sites than the men’s tournament, with 16 teams hosting first- and second-round games that feed into regional sites and eventually the Final Four, which is scheduled for April 2 and 4 in San Antonio.

“The committee intends to maintain a field of 64 teams, and a variety of contingency plans — including reducing the number of first- and second-round sites or bringing the entire tournament to one location — are being considered,” Holzman said.

Indiana’s health department has reported an 11.7 percent positivity rate for virus tests over the last seven days. Daily cases have doubled in the state in the last 14 days compared with the daily average for the prior two weeks, and the state has had 87.6 cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days.

In Marion County, where Indianapolis is, the positivity rate surpassed 10 percent last week, prompting the mayor and local health officials to institute more stringent social distancing protocols. Beginning Monday, indoor capacity for entertainment venues, gyms and fitness centers was cut to 25 percent. And Marion County health officials said they would need to approve any events that plan to host more than 50 people.

Still, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett seemed hopeful that they would be able to host the full tournament this spring.

“We are confident that, thanks to the collaboration of our city’s civic organizations and the strength of our hospitality industry, Indianapolis can rise to this challenge,” Hogsett wrote on Twitter.

Source: New York Times

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