Gavitt weighs in on NCAA tourney
The Gavitt name is synonymous with Big East basketball perhaps more than any other.
Dave Gavitt, of course, founded the league back in
1979. Dan Gavitt, Dave’s son, has made a name of his own over the years. He spent seven years as the Big East’s associate commissioner for men’s basketball before taking over his current role as the NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball.
It’s a tough job, made a whole lot tougher by COVID-19. Gavitt and his crew have spent countless hours over the past several months plotting out an NCAA season and, ultimately, NCAA tournaments for both men’s and women’s basketball.
So far, all that’s known about the men’s tournament is that it will be held entirely in the Greater Indianapolis area. Selection Sunday will proceed as scheduled on March 14; the Final Four is slated to be held April 3 and 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Just about everything in between is still up in the air — though some answers should be coming soon.
“Within the next week or so, probably, we’ll have the rest of the schedule,” Gavitt said on the Hearst Connecticut Media podcast on Friday. “It will be fairly similar to what we’re used to, but not exactly what we’re accustomed to.”
For instance, the “First Four” games will not kick off 48 hours after Selection Sunday, as they normally do. It was announced late Friday afternoon that the Selection Committee will also place teams in the Field of 68 bracket based on an “S curve.”
Still, so many questions remain. On a Hearst Connecticut Media podcast, Gavitt had some answers:
How will the Selection Committee consider things like homecourt advantage, which ostensibly isn’t as big a factor this season?
“We are monitoring and tracking on homecourt advantage, and whether there is a significant difference in winning percentage of home teams this year, with no fans or limited fans versus a normal year. I think we’ll use data to drive that decision. Frankly, early on, we haven’t seen a significant difference in the winning percentage of home teams versus road teams, but we’re only seven weeks into the season, about halfway through. So, we’ll see if that changes now that we’re into conference play.”
How will the committee take into account teams that have had significant, COVID-19-related pauses in their schedules?
“Like every year, they’ll use the full body of work — all the games the team plays — to try to make an evaluation of whether they’re an at-large team, or if they’re an (automatic qualifier), where they’ll be seeded. I think the goal will be not to punish teams that have endured things that are out of their control, as a result of COVID-19. Yet, at the same time, teams that have had significant wins — for example, in the non-conference season — they can’t be discounted or not considered, either.”
Per usual, will significant injuries be taken into consideration? For instance, if UConn has to play numerous games without James Bouknight?
“Fans always get confused or misinterpret what that means by ‘taken into consideration,’ as if somehow the committee discounts losses or doesn’t consider them at all. That’s not the case. They can’t do that. Games are played. UConn’s won a couple of games without Bouknight. They might continue to win without him, or they might not. Essentially, if there’s an opportunity to do so, the committee looks at the results of the team and what they do — wins and losses, statistically, offensive and defensive efficiency, with or without a player — to see if there’s a marked difference, and take into consideration his unavailability in that way.
“Most of the time, that’s more of a factor of where a team may be seeded, than whether they’re selected or not. Speaking generally, even if a team has a significant loss of a player for an extended period of time, will it distinguish itself enough to be selected
as an at-large team, or as an automatic qualifier? It may impact where they’re seeded. Because if they’re 100-percent, and they’re playing at 100-percent with that roster when the tournament starts, that needs to be taken into consideration by the committee, to make sure the team is seeded correctly.”
Could a single positive COVID-19 test throw the whole NCAA tournament off-kilter?
“Certainly, teams are going to have to be very careful, the closer we get to the NCAA championships, because their schedules start at a certain date and it’s not like a regular-season contest that can easily be rescheduled. We have very detailed medical protocol in place in Indianapolis for the tournament. We’re encouraging the same type of protocols be employed during conference tournaments. If they are, and they’re followed very, very carefully, that should mitigate some of the risk around contract tracing. But, the reality is, as we’ve learned, no matter when you start an event or plan to have a game, you can’t guarantee that everyone’s going to be able to participate. So, we’re going to be cautiously optimistic that we’ll be able to start successfully, with 68 teams in mid-March. But, if there’s one thing we’ve learned, we don’t control the virus and there can’t be a guarantee that that can happen.”
If a team has a COVID-19 outbreak before the NCAA tournament begins, could it be replaced by a bubble team that’s on “standby?”
“That has not been determined yet. It’s being considered. It’s complicated, of course, but we’re considering that among our contingency plans that we’re working on.”
So many questions. In less than two months, Gavitt & Co. hope to have all the answers.
CARPENTER GOES TO WORK
Hamden’s Aidan Carpenter made a huge splash in his collegiate debut two weekends ago, earning MAAC Rookie of the Week honors after scoring 15 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to lead Siena to victory at Fairfield. Carpenter, making his first collegiate start in place of injured MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Jalen Pickett, shot 8-for-11 from the field and didn’t commit a single turnover in 36 minutes of action to help the Saints to a road sweep of Fairfield.
Carpenter had scored seven points in his first college game the night before.
Carpenter was a New Haven Register All-State honorable mention selection as a freshman and sophomore at Hamden High. He transferred to Lee Academy in Maine, where he was NEPSAC Player of the Year in 2018-19 and rated the No. 1 recruit in Maine in 2020, according to the New England Recruiting Report. Carpenter began last season at Lee before matriculating to Siena as a mid-year enrollee.
THIS WEEK’S AP TOP 25 BALLOT
1. Gonzaga: Jalen Suggs struggled, Zags still won at Saint Mary’s by two touchdowns.
2. Baylor: Bears could lose their next couple of games and still be No.
2.
3. Iowa: Hawkeyes third in nation in scoring, behind just Gonzaga, Citadel (!?)
4. Villanova: Would’ve been fun seeing Wildcats in Storrs on Friday.
5. Texas: No great shame in getting edged by Texas Tech.
6. Wisconsin: Badgers’ starting lineup is older than the Chicago Bulls’ starting lineup.
7. Houston: AAC Preseason Player of the Year Caleb Mills transfers to Florida State.
8. Alabama: John Petty & the Shotmakers?
9. Tennessee: Rick Barnes tied Phog Allen on the all-time wins list.
10. Kansas: Huge showdown at Baylor on Monday night.
11. Texas Tech: Big win at Texas followed by home loss to Baylor.
12. Michigan: Wolverines get knocked from ranks of unbeaten — badly.
13. Missouri: Showdown at Tennessee on Saturday.
14. Virginia Tech: Right now, perhaps best resume in ACC.
15. Ohio State: Dabo Swinney probably thinks Buckeyes are overrated.
16. Creighton: Loss at Butler a bit of a head-scratcher.
17. Florida State: Winning games sans frosh stud Scottie Barnes.
18. Minnesota: Handed Michigan its first loss on Saturday in blowout fashion.
19. Louisville: Did Butch Beard not notice two of Louisville’s recent head football coaches?
20. West Virginia: Another program on pause.
21. Virginia: 35-point rout of Clemson biggest win over Top 25 team since UConn drubbed Virginia in ‘93.
22. UConn: Sounds like we could see James Bouknight back by early February?
23. Clemson: Tigers could have used Trevor Lawrence on Saturday.
24. Drake: Unbeaten Bulldogs on COVID pause.
25. Boise State: Broncos are 12-1 after road sweep of Wyoming.