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SU Basketball is in the NCAA Tournament Bubble. What does that mean? SU Basketball is in the NCAA Tournament Bubble. What does that mean?

By Sean Manzella

The Syracuse University Carrier Dome.
© 2015 (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)

SEAN MANZELLA: After an up and down season the Syracuse Men’s team was allowed into the tournament as an eleven seed, surprising the rest of us. While the Women’s team, got in with no problem. Meanwhile things are going to be different due to COVID, so I talked with some of the students to see what their reactions are with the Covid Bubble.

ANDY REYES: Advice? Oh. I mean it’s always, you know– Everyone’s going through this. Everyone’s going through the same stuff, so, you know, you kinda just have to keep a clear head. Keep your head in the game.

CHARLIE: Still practice social distancing. Wash your hands. Travel with hand sanitizer. Somewhere in this coat is hand sanitizer.

SARAH: Get lots of sleep. Don’t go out.

ANDY: Get tested soon, you know, every- as much as you can. I just got tested. I try to get tested twice a week.

Manzella: The Syracuse mens team getting into the tournament has a lot of people thinking that things are returning back to normal. However, with Syracuse University confirming 46 additional Covid cases over the weekend, things are still dangerous. Shortly after the 46 covid cases where released, another email was sent out saying an additional 20 cases were found in the last 24 hours. The University is continuing to battle this pandemic, while the students stay here and the athletes go to Indiana to participate in the bubble this year.

The NCAA March Madness Tournament will be held in a bubble this year. With both the Syracuse University Men’s and Women’s teams making the tournament, as an eleven seed and eight seed respectively, they will have to bring some extra mental toughness during the pandemic.

In order to protect the players, everyone entering the bubble must undergo seven days of consecutive negative testing. Once admitted in the bubble, players must continue to test negative daily, and will not be permitted to begin practicing with their team until they submit two negative tests, greater than 12 hours apart.

While extensive, this bubble method is similar to that used by the NBA and other sporting organizations. While the NBA did not require the 7 days of negative testing, they required a mandatory 48 hour quarantine period to serve the same purpose.

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