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Reports: College basketball to begin November 25th

We now have a date, which means the Thanksgiving holiday tournaments will all be able to be played.

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Guard RJ Williams of the Boise State Broncos catches an alley-oop pass enroute to a slam dunk during second half action against the New Mexico Lobos at ExtraMile Arena on February 23, 2020 in Boise, Idaho. Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images

UPDATE 6:15 p.m.: Andy Katz is reporting more details about what was approved by the Division I Council today:


Multiple college basketball reporters are now saying the official beginning of the 2020-21 NCAA basketball season will be November 25th.

Dana O’Neil of The Athletic is also reporting this date will apply to the women’s side as well.

That date is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, which means all the usual holiday college hoops tournaments will be able to begin on time, though not necessarily in the locations with which you’re familiar: The Maui Invitational is now in Indianapolis, and the Battle 4 Atlantis is now in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

That’s not great for those looking for some sunshine during their hoop-head vacations, but it’s great for people that want wall-to-wall basketball instead of interacting with relatives over the Turkey Day weekend. The starting date was scheduled to be Tuesday, November 10th, a week later than usual in 2020.

College basketball usually begins the first Tuesday in November, but this year November 3rd is also Election Day, and there’s a nationwide movement to see more student-athletes and coaches voting. The NCAA is encouraging schools to have November 3rd as a “day off from athletics activity.”