DI Council: Men’s and women’s basketball seasons to start Nov. 25

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, the Division I Council approved moving the start date of the college basketball season to Wednesday, Nov 25. The new start date was approved following recommendations from the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees.

According to the committees, this move was designed to begin competition “when at least three-quarters of Division I institutions will have either concluded their fall terms or moved remaining instruction and exams online creating a more controlled and less populated campus environment that may reduce the risk of COVID-19 …”

Here are some of the schedule changes made for the 2020-21 season:

Programs can begin preseason practice on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
This is a 42-day window to conduct 30 practices at most.
Exhibitions and scrimmages before Nov. 25 will not be allowed.
There are three scheduling options in DI men’s basketball.

24 regular-season games and up to three games in one multi-team event.25 regular-season games and up to two games in one multi-team event.
25 regular-season games without playing in a multi-team event.
There are two scheduling options in DI women’s basketball.
23 regular-season games and up to four additional games in one multi-team event.
25 regular-season games without participating in a multi-team event.

Teams must play a minimum of 13 games against DI opponents to be considered for NCAA championship selection.
A transition period will take place from Sept. 21 to Oct. 13 between out-of-season activity and preseason practice.

Teams may partake in conditioning, sport-related meetings and skill instruction for up to 12 hours a week.
Skill instruction may not exceed eight hours a week. Athletes must receive two days per week during this period.

“The new season start date near the Thanksgiving holiday provides the optimal opportunity to successfully launch the basketball season,” NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt said in the release. “It is a grand compromise of sorts and a unified approach that focuses on the health and safety of student-athletes competing towards the 2021 Division I basketball championships.”