Releasing a tournament bracket not ruled out by NCAA, per report

Whether the idea originated with him or not, ASU men’s basketball head coach Bobby Hurley threw out a suggestion on Twitter after coronavirus concerns caused the NCAA Tournament to be canceled.

“Every team deserves recognition for their season’s success,” Hurley wrote. “Brackets should still be announced on Selection Sunday.”

CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander then reported Friday that the NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball, Dan Gavitt, said the NCAA hasn’t ruled out the idea of releasing a 68-team NCAA Tournament bracket.

Hurley quickly tweeted again in response to the news:

This is March Sadness for everyone. But we have a responsibility to acknowledge the 68 teams who would’ve made the field. These student-athletes deserve to hear their name called! https://t.co/A78TXhgULb

— Bobby Hurley (@BobbyHurley11) March 13, 2020

Selection Sunday, which was originally slated for this coming Sunday, has historically presented an opportunity to gather and celebrate the accomplishment of getting into the NCAA Tournament.

If Arizona State (20-11, 11-7) were to make this year’s NCAA Tournament, it would be the third consecutive time doing so under Hurley. This season was Hurley’s fifth at Arizona State.

What’s more, ASU didn’t play a game in the Pac-12 Tournament, because the Sun Devils had a bye on the first day of play and the tournament was canceled entirely on Thursday morning.

Should the NCAA still have a Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament?

— 98.7 Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 13, 2020

Elsewhere in college sports, a statement Friday from the NCAA stated “leadership agreed that eligibility relief is appropriate for all Division I student-athletes who participated in spring sports.”

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