Reports: ASU, Arizona basketball could play tournaments in Disney bubble
Sep 15, 2020, 10:45 AM
Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley, left, argues a call during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Utah, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Several high-profile non-conference college basketball tournaments could be moving into the bubble at Disney World following the NBA season, according to reports.
CollegeHoopsToday.com’s Jon Rothstein reports that eight annual tournaments plan to play in the bubble. The Arizona State Sun Devils and Arizona Wildcats are among the teams who could be headed to Orlando once the hoops season begins.
The Champions Classic, the Jimmy V Classic, the Preseason NIT, Orlando Invitational, Myrtle Beach Invitational, Charleston Classic, Wooden Legacy and Diamond Head Classic will be played in the bubble, Rothstein reports.
ASU was set to play in the Diamond Head Classic this year along with Oklahoma, San Diego State, Saint Mary’s, Hawaii, Temple, Seattle and North Texas.
RELATED STORIES
Arizona, Texas Tech, Cincinnati and St. John’s were committed to the Preseason NIT.
Matchups for the Sun Devils and Wildcats had not yet been scheduled by their respective tournaments.
Forbes’ Adam Zagoria reported that planning remains in progress.
Said one high-major Division 1 coach who’s team is involved in the events: “I don’t know the specifics yet, I just know they would like to have all the events there [in Orlando].”
Many dominoes must fall before any bubble plans are set in stone. On Wednesday, the NCAA Division I council is expected to formalize dates to begin the college basketball season, reportedly sometime between Nov. 21-25. Even if that happens, a lot stands in the way for hoops to ramp up, especially in the Pac-12.
The conference postponed all sports through the end of the calendar year. An agreement with the Quidel Corporation to provide rapid coronavirus testing could change that, however.
On Monday, Arizona State head football coach Herm Edwards told Arizona Sports’ Doug & Wolf he was optimistic the Sun Devils would play football in some form over the course of the 2020-21 school year.
“We had a meeting with the Pac-12 coaches last week and things sound a whole lot better for us as a conference … maybe late December or January (we will be able) to play a shortened schedule,” Edwards said of the football season. “It sounded pretty optimistic, so that’s a good thing.
“I think with the new testing now that’s available to us, 15-minute turnaround, that’s going to help tremendously.”
