Mount St. Mary’s earned its sixth bid to the NCAA Event on Tuesday night time by beating Bryant within the Northeast Convention Championship recreation, setting off a postgame celebration that included pleasure, anticipation, hugs — and COVID-19 testing.

Earlier than the Mountaineers made the 7 1/2-hour bus journey from Smithfield, Rhode Island, again to Emmitsburg, Maryland, they have been examined once more Wednesday morning.

“Even final night time as we have been celebrating, we have been on the courtroom and I used to be reminding guys, ‘Hey, put your masks on,'” Mount St. Mary’s director of basketball operations Jeremy Freeman mentioned throughout that lengthy bus journey again. “You don’t need the celebration of a championship to not allow you to get into Indy.”

The Mountaineers and 67 different groups will likely be enjoying in an NCAA Event like no different. As an alternative of the occasion being scattered all through arenas from coast to coast, each recreation will likely be performed in Indiana, all however a handful in Indianapolis, and with attendance sharply restricted. The same association is in place for the ladies’s event in and round San Antonio in South Texas.

A yr after the event was canceled earlier than it started due to the pandemic, a devastating blow financially and emotionally to everybody concerned in faculty sports activities, the NCAA is set to maintain the coronavirus from being a bracket buster over three cautious, hopeful weeks.

Postponements and rescheduling will not be the choices they have been throughout the common season.

“We mentioned from the start that the problem with the event versus the common season is when you get began, it is laborious to pause,” mentioned Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s senior vice chairman of basketball. “And so the plan is put all of the work in on the entrance finish and ensure all people’s wholesome, secure and eligible so the video games can go off as scheduled and we will hold the event going ahead.”

GROUND RULES

To play 67 video games over three weeks in Indiana, the NCAA is taking on 4 resorts, 5 arenas, one NFL stadium and a whole conference middle. Groups will likely be largely shielded from most people, together with family and friends, from the time they get on buses and planes that can take them to Indianapolis till they’re both eradicated or win the entire thing on April 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

So long as they play they are going to function underneath strict protocols and tight schedules.

All people will get a single resort room. Each workforce will get its personal flooring in a resort and house on the conference middle. For steerage, Gavitt mentioned the NCAA turned to skilled leagues such because the NBA and NHL, which efficiently staged restricted website playoffs final yr.

Simply do not name it a bubble.

“Effectively, we have used the phrases ‘managed setting,'” Gavitt mentioned.

Every member of a workforce’s 34-person journey occasion — down from 75 — should full seven detrimental COVID-19 checks earlier than leaving for Indianapolis. Not less than a type of seven checks should be a PCR check, thought of essentially the most correct.

Mount St. Mary’s began its testing Saturday, simply in case it earned a bid, and is one in all 10 groups anticipated to reach in Indianapolis on Saturday. The 17 groups which are scheduled to lock up spots in convention tournaments this weekend are due in Sunday. The remainder of the sphere must be on the town by Monday with the First 4 video games set for subsequent Thursday and the primary spherical tipping off the subsequent day.

The NCAA normally pays for groups to journey to event websites by constitution bus or aircraft. This yr, these preparations embody socially distanced seating plans which have been accepted by public well being officers in Indiana and private protecting tools akin to N95 masks and goggles to be worn throughout the journey.

There will likely be no meals or beverage providers on planes. Bus drivers will likely be examined for COVID-19.

“As a result of you do not need there to be a possible contact traceable occasion on the aircraft,” mentioned Dr. Brian Hainline, the NCAA’s chief medical officer.

Upon arrival in Indianapolis, gamers, coaches and different workforce personnel will likely be examined for COVID-19 after which anticipated to quarantine till that check result’s returned. Then they are going to be examined once more, and returned to quarantine till that result’s again. Gamers will put on units that monitor who they’ve been in shut proximity with to assist contact tracing — which everyone seems to be hoping will not be needed.

Every day checks will proceed all through the event. Those that have been vaccinated for COVID-19 will nonetheless be examined, Hainline mentioned. Those that have examined optimistic beforehand are exempt from surveillance testing for 90 days after their optimistic check, which is according to CDC steerage.

Hainline mentioned testing not solely gives precious virus surveillance, it’s a tone-setter for the occasion. As has been the case all through the pandemic, particular person conduct and adhering to protocols will finally decide success.

“I feel it is taken to a wholly totally different stage now that there simply can’t be any lapse when it comes to bodily distancing and masking apart from while you’re on the courtroom or while you’re actively in observe and competitors,” Hainline mentioned.

Logistically, the primary week will likely be by far essentially the most difficult. When the second spherical is accomplished on March 22, the sphere will likely be right down to 16 groups and they’ll all be moved to at least one resort. They’ll be capable to stretch out on the conference middle as assembly rooms will likely be expanded, however the vigilance will proceed.

OFF THE COURT

Staff resorts are linked to the conference middle in Indianapolis by skyways that will likely be closed to the general public. Groups will likely be escorted to the conference middle the place 12 observe courts have been arrange, together with assembly rooms outfitted for movie classes. Subsequent week, practices will run from 9 a.m. till 10 p.m. and the schedule is inflexible. Usually, groups could be permitted to rearrange a few of their very own practices at native excessive colleges or faculties. Not this yr.

“So it is the identical for everyone, however there’s not any flexibility in that first week,” Gavitt mentioned.

Gamers can count on to have video video games out there of their rooms to fill down time, together with another swag that can hold them busy “each intellectually and the enjoyable stuff,” Gavitt mentioned.

Gamers can combine in lobbies and customary areas, however they are going to be inspired to take action masked and correctly spaced out. Alternatives to get outdoors as a bunch, climate allowing, will likely be coordinated by the NCAA. Staff meals will likely be held at resorts, with predetermined seating preparations. If anyone wants a late-night snack, they’ll order takeout by way of an NCAA ambassador assigned to every workforce.

Gamers themselves is not going to be on lockdown at their resorts. There will not be guards on each flooring or safety cameras monitoring exits and hallways.

“I imply, that is simply not faculty athletics,” Gavitt mentioned.

However there will likely be safety in resort lobbies and different venues to maintain unauthorized guests away.

“We additionally know we now have followers and members of the family and others that will like to work together with these student-athletes and coaches,” Gavitt mentioned. “And if we’ll achieve success, that is not going to work till a workforce is both a champion or has misplaced and gone dwelling.”

GAME TIME

As soon as the bracket is launched Sunday night time, groups is not going to be reseeded. Alternative groups are a risk if wanted solely inside 48 hours of the announcement: After 6 p.m. Tuesday, groups that make the sphere can’t be changed if a participant will get sick. Their opponents merely advances within the bracket, although Gavitt acknowledged Wednesday that so long as a workforce has 5 gamers out there, it will possibly play so long as it retains profitable.

“We determined if that they had 5 gamers eligible and wholesome,” they may play,” he mentioned. “We wrestled with contingencies, and thought it was fairest for a workforce that earned its approach, that even when it was compromised, they need to have the chance to play quite than get replaced.”

There will likely be no bands or cheerleaders at this yr’s video games, although there will likely be followers. General attendance for every venue will likely be capped at 25%, however Gavitt mentioned on the smaller venues it most likely will not even get that prime due to social distancing and pod seating.

“Though this yr’s championships could also be totally different,” mentioned Joni Comstock, the NCAA’s senior VP of championships, “we’re dedicated to offering a memorable once-in-a-lifetime expertise for all student-athletes.”

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Comply with Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and pay attention at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/