The first round of the NCAA tournament, which typically gives a convenient excuse to slack off work all afternoon on Thursday and Friday, has a slightly different schedule this year.
As the NCAA attempts to navigate the ongoing pandemic, the tournament will begin a day later than usual. This year, the 32 first-round games will take place Friday and Saturday, differing from the Thursday and Friday schedule the tournament has run since 1985 — when the competition was expanded to 64 teams.
The “First Four” games will start later, too. Rather than the typical Tuesday and Wednesday slots, those play-in contests will all take place Thursday in the Indianapolis region, leaving behind its typical Dayton, Ohio, location.
That sets Thursday night up with four games — No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s vs. No. 16 Texas Southern; No. 11 Wichita State vs. No. 11 Drake; No. 16 Norfolk State vs. No. 16 Appalachian State; No. 11 Michigan State vs. No. 11 UCLA.
Moving back the play-in games allows for the tournament time to replace any team that isn’t able to play for protocol reasons. The NCAA can replace a team in the tournament field up until Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.
With the first-round schedule pushed back a day, the second round is also moving to Sunday and Monday. Beyond that, the schedule will play out with the Final Four taking place as usual — Saturday, April 3 — with the National Championship on Monday, April 5.
There are some subtle differences to the scheduling of March Madness, but the play should be the same, with buzzer beaters and memorable moments — and perhaps even a few marquee upsets.
• Andy Kostka can be reached at akostka@washingtontimes.com.
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