This was back in March, in the early days of the new world of Covid-19. Nate Watson and the rest of the Providence Friars basketball team were sitting on the team bus waiting to make the short trip from their hotel to Madison Square Garden for the annual four-day basketball feast known as The BIG EAST tournament.
 
And things were looking very promising for the Friars, who had just ended the regular season with six straight victories, including three over ranked teams, highlighted by a huge road win over then-No.12 Villanova.
 
Optimism was high at Providence.
 
But before the bus could pull away to battle midtown Manhattan traffic to bring the Friars to their quarterfinal game against Butler, Watson and the Friars saw their whole basketball world take a major detour as the unthinkable happened - the BIG EAST Tournament had been shut down.
 
“That was very tough,” said Watson, the Friars’ 6-10 senior center. “We definitely knew we were going to go to the NCAA Tournament, but then when we were on the bus to go to our first BIG EAST game our coaches told us we had to get off because the game had been cancelled. We were all like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I really felt for our seniors. Then as time went on they cancelled the (NCAA) tournament and we were like, ‘Wow, our season is over. For our seniors their last college game was out the window. It was just a lot to handle at the time.”
 
It was not exactly the kind of March Madness Watson was expecting.
 
But this March, Watson and the rest of the college basketball-loving world is hoping for a much rosier ending to the season. A return to the Garden for the BIG EAST Tournament followed by the NCAA’s Big Dance, even if it might look a little different this time around.   
    
Earlier this week the NCAA announced its plans to stage the tournament even as the Covid virus continues to wreak havoc on the college basketball season on an daily basis. The plan is to move the entire tournament to Indianapolis and play it at a variety of sites, including Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. Other venues include Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse, Purdue’s Mackey Arena, Indiana’s Assembly Hall and the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, the home digs for IUPUI.
 
Currently there are no plans to allow fans to attend, except for family members of players and the coaching staff, but hey, it will still be the NCAA Tournament. Sixty-eight teams ready to throw a blowout basketball party that got canceled at the last minute last season.
 
So what does Watson think of the NCAA’s plan?
 
“Honestly, I think it’s a great idea that they’re doing that,” said Watson, who is currently averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds for the Friars this season. “With all the Covid protocols I’m pretty sure they all know what to do with social distancing and testing and all that stuff. So I think it’s just a great opportunity for us athletes to be in a bubble and bring our talents to the world. I know there are not going to be fans there but it’s still a great opportunity to have the NCAA Tournament going on.”
 
For Villanova, a trip to the NCAA Tournament has become something of a birthright, you know, after having won a pair of national championships in the past five seasons (but only four with an actual postseason tournament).  And Wildcats’ head coach Jay Wright, whose program is currently on a Covid pause, thinks the NCAA hit a home run with its Indianapolis plan.
 
“I’m thrilled that the NCAA has a plan and a perfect venue in Indy to give us all a chance to play in the best sporting event in the world,” Wright said. “Anything we can do to give our student-athletes the opportunity to play in any of the postseason tournaments is worth exploration.”
Providence head coach Ed Cooley, too, is thrilled with the plan. He’s all for anything that will prevent his team from being called off the team bus at the last minute again this season.
 
“If having the entire NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis is what is necessary in this season of the Covid-19 pandemic, then I am fully in agreement,” Cooley said. “I have complete faith in (NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball) Dan Gavitt and the staff at the NCAA. They do a tremendous job running the NCAA Tournament every year. We have all learned that we need to be flexible and adapt to many different situations in order for games to occur. I am thankful and appreciative of all the people out there who are working so hard for us to be able to play games and give our student-athletes a place to compete.”
 
Creighton was ranked No. 11 in the nation when last season abruptly ended. This year the Bluejays are sitting on a 9-2 overall record, 5-1 in the BIG EAST and are ranked seventh in the in the AP poll. Barring a meteor strike in downtown Omaha, the Bluejays are expected to not only make the NCAA Tournament this season but make a lot of noise as well. So yes, head coach Greg McDermott is completely on board with whatever it takes to have an NCAA Tournament this season.
 
“If we’re going to be able to do it, it’s got to be done safely,” McDermott told the AP. “The more we can limit travel the better. To do it in the middle of the country makes it easier on everybody. You want to be there. You want to be part of it. It’s going to be an historic event.”
 
Let’s face it, it just wasn’t spring without the NCAA Tournament last year. So any kind of return to March normalcy this year is what all are hoping for.
 
“Not having the NCAA Tournament last year was difficult for the fans, the schools, the coaches, the support staff and most importantly, the student-athletes,” Cooley said. “It is understandable why it did not happen, but I believe if we can have a tournament this year in a safe environment, then it is important to move forward with the event.”
 
And it will also give seniors like Watson the opportunity to finish their careers as they were meant to - by playing on a national stage and making lifelong memories before graduation.
 
“I just think it’s important to have the tournament, especially for the seniors, because the seniors use this time to shine for NBA scouts and for overseas (scouts),” Watson said. “So I don’t really care if there are no fans because when I’m on the court I’m not really thinking about the stands anyway. It’s like they disappear when I’m playing. All I see are my teammates and the bench. So I’m all in. We had to quarantine for eight months (earlier this year) and we didn’t have any basketball because the gyms were closed. So now I don’t care what the circumstances are as long as I’m playing basketball.”