And if hoops fans needed any more evidence of how unfamiliar this tournament will feel, maybe it’s this: For the first time since 1976, Duke and Kentucky will both be missing from the tournament. Like Virginia and Kansas, Duke pulled out of its conference tournament last week because of COVID-19. The Blue Devils announced that marked the end of their season, before telling the NCAA that, yes, they’d be available for March Madness if asked. But no dice. The 13-11 record wasn’t enough.
Brackets set for return of the NCAA Tournament
