March Madness, meet Hoosier Hysteria. Indiana is about to see 169 basketball games in 33 days.
March Madness #MarchMadness
Entire 2021 NCAA tournament is coming to Indiana
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“The only possible place for March Madness in a pandemic is right here. Are we ready for this moment? We’ll see.”
IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel wrote that when the NCAA officially announced in January the 2021 NCAA men’s basketball tournament — all of it, not just the Final Four — would be coming to Indianapolis and Central Indiana.
Well, we’re here. It’s March. Here’s what’s coming our way.
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How many games will be played in Indiana?
Between NCAA Division I (67 games), IHSAA (60), Big Ten men’s and women’s (24), NCAA Division II in Evansville (7), Horizon League men’s and women’s (6) and Indiana Pacers (5) there will be 169 competitive basketball games played in Indiana during a 33-day span, beginning March 4 with the Pacers vs. Nuggets and ending April 5 with the NCAA national championship.
Scroll to the bottom of this article for the full schedule.
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Where will the games be played?
Mackey Arena: NCAA First Four, first round
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall: NCAA First Four, first round.
Indiana Farmers Coliseum: Horizon League men’s and women’s semifinals/finals, NCAA first and second rounds.
Bankers Life Fieldhouse: Pacers, Big Ten women’s tournament, NCAA first and second round, Sweet 16, IHSAA state finals
Hinkle Fieldhouse: NCAA first and second round, Sweet 16
More: These are the six Indiana venues the NCAA will use for March Madness
Lucas Oil Stadium: Big Ten men’s tournament, NCAA first round, second round, Elite Eight, Final Four, national championship
Ford Center (Evansville): NCAA Division II Elite Eight, semifinals, championship
IHSAA regional sites: Class 4A: Michigan City, Logansport, Southport, Seymour; 3A: South Bend Washington, New Castle, Greencastle, Washington; 2A: North Judson, Lapel, Greenfield-Central, Southridge; A: Triton, Frankfort; Martinsville, Loogootee.
IHSAA semistate sites: Lafayette Jeff, Elkhart, Seymour, Washington
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Will fans be allowed?
Yes. The NCAA announced it will allow up to 25% of capacity for all rounds. That’s the maximum.
► Indiana University is capping attendance to 500 for the First Four and first round NCAA tournament games played at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
► Purdue says Mackey Arena will be capped at 12-13% (roughly 1,850)
► Butler will allow up to the 25% capacity for games at Hinkle Fieldhouse (roughly 2,275).
► For the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, 25% capacity is roughly 1,700 fans.
► For Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 25% capacity is roughly 4,500 fans
► For Lucas Oil Stadium, 25% capacity is roughly 17,500 fans,
► Pacers have been cleared by Marion County Health Department to allow up 4,500 fans, but the team is limiting tickets to 3,000 in February to “prioritize the health and safety of fans, players and staff.”
► The attendance at IHSAA sectional sites this year is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Here is a closer look at the plans for sectionals involving local teams from the host athletic directors. For this past weekend’s girls state finals, each school was allowed up to 1,000 fans in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
► New restrictions taking effect March 1 include an increase in bar capacity from 25% to 50%, an increase in indoor restaurant capacity from 50% to 75%, and an extension of curfew for bars from midnight to 2 a.m.
More: Indianapolis to ease restrictions on bars and restaurants with March Madness on the way
More: How much could NCAA March Madness fan attendance help struggling downtown Indy?
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How is COVID-19 in Indiana right now?
For the first time in months, nine of the state’s 92 counties were shaded blue on the state’s advisory-level map. The update means those blue counties will no longer face social gathering capacity restrictions, but they must obey social distancing and mask-wearing protocols.
This is the sixth consecutive week the Indiana Department of Health’s color-coded map showed improvement and the first time since at least mid-December a county in Indiana will not face capacity restrictions.
Thirty-nine counties, including Marion County reported minimal spread — up from just 11 last week. Fifty counties on Feb. 24 reported moderate spread of the virus and three reported moderate to high spread.
Marion County will continue to face yellow restrictions, which allows for 50% capacity at social gatherings. Marion County is also under additional rules implemented by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and the county health department.
More: 5 takeaways on health risks associated with having fans at NCAA games
Teams in March Madness will stay in ‘bubble’
The teams themselves will remain in a “semi-controlled environment,” which for all intents and purposes is a bubble. They will take all of their meals in hotel rooms or specially designated areas. Each player will have their own hotel room and each team has their own floor.
Before arriving in Indianapolis, each individual must have seven consecutive negative COVID-19 tests. If any of the tests yield a positive result, the person will not be allowed to attend the tournament until he has completed a period of self-isolation.
On the day the teams arrive, players will undergo another COVID-19 test. Until participants have two consecutive tests in Indianapolis they will be required to remain in their rooms under “strict quarantine,” the health department said.
Each person on qualifying teams can invite six family members to watch, but these fans may have no in-person contact with the players during the tournament.
Who will feed the teams?
Roughly 2,500 student-athletes, coaches, trainers, officials and others essential to participating in the tournament are expected to come to the Indianapolis for the games.
“There is an appetite in the NCAA — in an effort to help spread out the impact of this game in a positive way and to diversify the items served up to the teams — to allow restaurants outside of the hotels to bring meals to the teams’ doorstep,” Visit Indy’s Chris Gahl said.
Visit Indy is helping to identify restaurants that can be on a “menu of sorts” for tournament teams to consider ordering food from during the duration of their participation in March Madness.
A process is underway to develop service standards for delivery, itemized packaging and the tracking of specific meals. The information would be compiled and given to teams so they would know how many hours in advance carryout meals need to be ordered and what restaurants would require.
More: Here’s how food delivery in NCAA tournament bubble might benefit Indianapolis restaurants
Here is the list of upcoming basketball games in Indiana
Here’s the schedule. Take a deep breath.
MARCH 4
8 p.m. — Indiana Pacers vs. Denver Nuggets, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
MARCH 8
11 a.m. — Horizon League women’s tournament semifinal, Indiana Farmers Coliseum
2 p.m. — Horizon League women’s tournament semifinal, Indiana Farmers Coliseum
6:30 p.m. — Horizon League men’s tournament semifinal, Indiana Farmers Coliseum
9:30 p.m. — Horizon League men’s tournament semifinal, Indiana Farmers Coliseum
MARCH 9
12 p.m. — Horizon League women’s tournament final, Indiana Farmers Coliseum
5 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament first round, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
7 p.m. — Horizon League men’s tournament final, Indiana Farmers Coliseum
MARCH 10
11 a.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament second round, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
1:30 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament second round, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
6:30 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament first round, Lucas Oil Stadium
6:30 p.m. —Big Ten women’s tournament second round, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
9 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament first round, Lucas Oil Stadium
9 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament second round, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
MARCH 11
11 a .m. — Big Ten women’s tournament quarterfinal, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
11:30 a.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament second round, Lucas Oil Stadium
1:30 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament quarterfinal, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
2 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament second round, Lucas Oil Stadium
6:30 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament quarterfinal, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
6:30 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament second round, Lucas Oil Stadium
9 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament quarterfinal, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
9 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament second round, Lucas Oil Stadium
MARCH 12
11:30 a.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament quarterfinal, Lucas Oil Stadium
2 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament semifinal, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
2 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament quarterfinal, Lucas Oil Stadium
4:30 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament semifinal, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
6:30 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament quarterfinal, Lucas Oil Stadium
9 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament quarterfinal, Lucas Oil Stadium
MARCH 13
10 a.m. — IHSAA boys basketball regional semifinals, across the state
Noon — IHSAA boys basketball regional semifinals, across the state
1 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament semifinal, Lucas Oil Stadium
2 p.m. — Big Ten women’s tournament final, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
3:30 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament semifinal, Lucas Oil Stadium
7:30 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball regional finals, across the state
MARCH 14
3:30 p.m. — Big Ten men’s tournament final, Lucas Oil Stadium
6 p.m. — NCAA tournament selection show
MARCH 17
7 p.m. — Indiana Pacers vs. Brooklyn Nets, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
MARCH 18
4 p.m. — NCAA tournament First Four, Assembly Hall/Mackey Arena
6 p.m. — NCAA tournament First Four, Assembly Hall/Mackey Arena
8 p.m. — NCAA tournament First Four, Assembly Hall/Mackey Arena
10 p.m. — NCAA tournament First Four, Assembly Hall/Mackey Arena
MARCH 19
Noon-10:30 p.m. — NCAA tournament first round (16 games at six venues)
MARCH 20
Noon-10:30 p.m. — NCAA tournament first round (16 games at six venues)
1 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Lafayette Jeff
1 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Seymour
4 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Washington
4 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Elkhart
4 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Lafayette Jeff
4 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Seymour
7 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Washington
7 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball semistate, Elkhart
MARCH 21
Noon-10:30 p.m. — NCAA tournament second round (eight games at four venues)
MARCH 22
Noon-10:30 p.m. — NCAA tournament second round (eight games at four venues)
MARCH 24
1 p.m. — NCAA Division II men’s tournament Elite Eight, Ford Center (Evansville)
4 p.m. — NCAA Division II men’s tournament Elite Eight, Ford Center (Evansville)
7 p.m. — Indiana Pacers vs. Detroit Pistons, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
7 p.m. — NCAA Division II men’s tournament Elite Eight, Ford Center (Evansville)
10 p.m. — NCAA Division II men’s tournament Elite Eight, Ford Center (Evansville)
MARCH 25
6 p.m. — NCAA Division II men’s tournament semifinals, Ford Center (Evansville)
9 p.m. — NCAA Division II men’s tournament semifinals, Ford Center (Evansville)
MARCH 27
Noon — NCAA Division II men’s tournament final, Ford Center (Evansville)
2 p.m. — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
TBD — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
7 p.m. — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
TBD — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
MARCH 28
1 p.m. — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
TBD — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
7 p.m. — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
TBD — NCAA tournament Sweet 16, Bankers Life Fieldhouse/Hinkle Fieldhouse
MARCH 29
7 p.m. — NCAA tournament Elite Eight, Lucas Oil Stadium
10 p.m. — NCAA tournament Elite Eight, Lucas Oil Stadium
MARCH 30
6 p.m. — NCAA tournament Elite Eight, Lucas Oil Stadium
9 p.m. — NCAA tournament Elite Eight, Lucas Oil Stadium
MARCH 31
7 p.m. — Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
APRIL 2
8 p.m. — Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte Hornets, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
APRIL 3
10 a.m. — IHSAA boys basketball Class A state final, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
1:30 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball Class 2A state final, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
5 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball Class 3A state final, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
5 p.m. — NCAA tournament Final Four, Lucas Oil Stadium
8 p.m. — NCAA tournament Final Four, Lucas Oil Stadium
8:30 p.m. — IHSAA boys basketball Class 4A state final, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
APRIL 5
9 p.m. — NCAA tournament national championship, Lucas Oil Stadium
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: March Madness, meet Hoosier Hysteria: Indiana about to see 169 basketball games in 33 days