Keatts Backs ACC Plan for All-Inclusive NCAA Tournament

NC State coach Kevin Keatts has expressed his support for a plan in which every Division I men's basketball team would qualify for the 2021 NCAA Tournament, citing the uncertainty of regular season scheduling amid the continuing coronavirus crisis

The ACC's 15 men's basketball coaches have proposed a plan that would expand the 2021 NCAA Tournament to include all 347 Division I teams.

Under the plan, which was adopted after a unanimous vote, the week of conference tournaments would serve as the first week of the national championship event with the field trimmed to 64 or 68 teams in the following week. 

The plan for selecting and seeding at-large bids has yet to be announced.

NC State coach Kevin Keatts expressed his support for the plan, citing the uncertainty of regular season scheduling amid the continuing coronavirus crisis in a statement issued Wednesday.

"We are going through an unparallelled time in college athletics," he said in the statement. "Today, in our call with ACC men's basketball coaches, we discussed and agreed to come forth with a recommendation that all teams make the NCAA Tournament this upcoming season. This is the best course to ensure the safety of players coaches and fans.

"The NCAA Tournament is the greatest celebration in all of sports and I believe making this move gives us the best environment to incentivize every program to implement the safest playing conditions for the sport we all love. Given everything that players acorss the country have been through over the past six months, I feel it's in the best interest of the student-athlete experience to give all teams an opportunity to be a part of the NCAA Tournament this season."

It is still uncertain when the 2020-21 college basketball season will begin or how many games will be played. State has yet to announce its schedule.

The opening round of the 2021 NCAA tournament is currently set for March 16 with the Final Four slated for Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis beginning April 3.

This year's NCAA tournament was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns. 

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