It was out of COVID-19 necessity, not in an effort to be more collegiate in its approach to things, that caused the NCAA selection committee to do to four basketball teams what schools do to millions of high school seniors ... put them on the waitlist.
The 68-team field was unveiled Sunday night, only this time with a twist — four “alternate” teams that could still be added to the tournament if any of the schools that were originally selected can’t play next week due to virus protocols.
Welcome to basketball purgatory Louisville, Colorado State, Saint Louis and Mississippi (in that order).