The NCAA Division I Council said yesterday that the 2020-21 men’s and women’s college basketball seasons can start Nov. 25.
The council, following its vote, said no exhibition games or scrimmages can be held before that date, which is the day before Thanksgiving.
With general students home for the month of December and the early part of January, there is at least a six-week window for the college basketball season to get underway.
Full preseason practices can begin Oct. 14, with 30 practices permitted over the 42 days before the start of the season.
The Nov. 25 date is only a guideline for the start date, as conferences and individual schools will make adjustments to fit the framework of the Division I Council’s plan for the season. The NCAA is still planning for the NCAA tournament to proceed as scheduled, with 68 teams and 14 sites in March and April.