Coronavirus (COVID-19) NCAAB Update – Nov. 17th Edition

Coronavirus (COVID-19) NCAAB Update – Nov. 17th Edition

College basketball is set to start their season on November 25. We write “set” instead of “will” because there’s a lot that has yet to be decided. In fact, many Division 1 schools don’t believe they can start on Nov. 25, or if they do start on Nov. 25, few believe they’ll finish the season with no interruptions. Check out where NCAA Basketball stands a week before their 2020-2021 season so you can get all your bets set and place them against our College Basketball odds.

NCAA Basketball COVID-19 Update – November 17th Edition

2021 NCAA Men’s College Basketball National Championship

  • When: TBD
  • Where: Indianapolis, IN

2021 Men’s College Basketball National Championship Odds

  • Virginia +1800
  • Gonzaga +1000
  • Kansas +2000
  • Kentucky +950
  • Creighton +3300
  • Baylor +1200
  • Michigan State +1600
  • Duke +1600
  • Florida State +2500
  • Texas +4000
  • Wisconsin +2000
  • Florida +4000
  • Louisville +4000
  • San Diego State +5000
  • Oregon +2800
  • West Virginia +2200
  • Ohio State +3500
  • Texas Tech +1800
  • Villanova +800
  • Michigan +1400
  • Houston +3300
  • Purdue +5000
  • Illinois +1000
  • Indiana +3000
  • Connecticut +2800
  • North Carolina +2500
  • Penn State +10000
  • Iowa +1000
  • Miami FL +8000
  • Tennessee +2000

No COVID protocol consistency from conference to conference

The NCAA made recommendations regarding coronavirus testing and it’s caused havoc among the conferences. Maybe, the NCAA believes that letting basketball conferences make decisions, like they did with football, will work out as well.

College football has had some issues, though. More importantly, football is much different than college hoops. Teams play from 10 to 13 games in college football during a normal season. The normal college basketball season sees teams playing from 25 to over 30 games.

Teams travel more in college basketball and teams must cancel games, not postpone them. Even though the season is set to start on November 25, many conferences have yet to release schedules. 

Rick Pitino comes up with interesting, maybe brilliant, idea

Pitino may have come up with an idea to save college hoops. The former Louisville and Kentucky head coach is now the main man at Iona, and if his recent idea is any indication, the NCAA should consider giving him an executive job if he ever decides to bounce from the Gaels.

Rick’s idea may save college basketball. Pitino thinks the NCAA should delay the start of the season and then push the start date out to accommodate conferences and teams struggling to create viable COVID testing plans.

Pitino’s idea is to have a May Madness Tournament instead of a March Madness Tournament. It makes total sense. The biggest event in May is the Kentucky Derby. The Derby always takes place on the first Saturday in May, which next year is May 1. The Run for the Roses won’t pose any competition to the tournament while the NBA will most likely be in the early stages of their playoffs.  

The tournament could start in May and then finish up three weeks later with the National Championship Game on May 17. A February start to the season would give teams plenty of time to come up with true COVID testing plans.

Also, Dr. Fauci, who has again become the most important voice regarding the pandemic, said that the United States could return to normal between April and July. In addition, Moderna came out with a COVID vaccine with over 94% effectiveness, which means many players could get the vaccine in February at the start of the season, or in March or April once the general public has gotten the vaccine. 

Gonzaga the favorite to win the 2021 Final Four while NCAA plans on having every game in Indianapolis

If or when college basketball does start, the Gonzaga Bulldogs will be favored to win the NCAA Championship. Before dumping on the Zags, though, make sure amateur hoops begins on Nov. 25, or the NCAA has decided to go with Pitino’s plan.

Then, check the odds on Gonzaga. Players may decide to forego the season to prepare for the NBA Draft. That could change betting odds.

If the NCAA decides to stick with a Nov. 25 start date, they’ve already contacted Indianapolis, the site of the 2020 NCAA Tournament that didn’t happen, about having every game take place in Indy, creating an NCAA Tournament bubble. Keep that in mind as you do your college hoops future handicapping.

Have a great rest of your week!


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