The NCAA announced earlier today the official start date for Division I men’s and women’s college basketball season slated for Nov. 25.
UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque says he is looking forward to the season and seeing the Vaqueros back on the court.
“A lot to dive into, a lot of information to digest, but nonetheless, excited for our student-athletes and now we know a few more pieces of the puzzle, and, so we look forward to preparation for basketball and for our fall sports in the spring and look forward to [having] the Vaqueros back on the court and on the field,” Conque said.
As part of the NCAA announcement, the Division I Council laid down the ground rules to kick off season. Full practices can begin on Oct. 14. No exhibition games or closed scrimmages are allowed before Nov. 25. Teams will have a reduced regular-season schedule but must play a minimum of 13 regular-season games to be NCAA tournament eligible.
Men’s basketball teams can play a maximum of 27 games and have three options for scheduling:
–24 regular-season games and one multiple-team event that includes up to three games;
–25 regular-season games and one multiple-team event that includes up to two games;
–or 25 regular-season games and no multiple-team event.
Women’s basketball teams also have 27-game limit and two options:
–23 regular-season games and one multiple-team event that includes up to four games
–or 25 regular-season games and no multiple-team event.
According to the NCAA, full practices can begin on Oct. 14, and starting on Sept. 21 teams can start 12 hour practice weeks.
UTRGV women’s basketball Head Coach Lane Lord explains the significance of practice ahead of the 2020-21 season.
“On October 14th, we get our 20 hours a week and we get to go full schedule but as a coach and our coaching staff being able to get those additional hours starting next week, is going to be exciting,” Lord said.
Although previously scheduled games will have to be rescheduled with the new Nov. 25 start date, both UTRGV men’s and women’s basketball are targeting regional non-conference opponents in the state of Texas.
According to Conque, this is an effort to minimize travel and potential exposure to COVID-19 before the start of the Western Athletic Conference season.
UTRGV men’s basketball Head Coach Lew Hill explains the importance of scheduling games against regional schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We really want to stay close in the non-conference,” Hill said. “Stay around here in the Texas area so we can just be more on the bus, ride the bus and then once we get into conference we’ll be flying all over the place. So, we wanna stay as close as possible around here to just go to the game, get back home, and try to stay as safe as possible.”
UTRGV is still planning to hold it’s inaugural UTRGV South Padre Island Classic and games at Bert Odgen Arena.
Conque added that UTRGV aims to have a limited capacity of fans in attendance at all basketball games, regardless of location with priority to season ticket holders, corporate sponsors and media.
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I’M LUIS RUBIO FOR VAQUERO RADIO.
