Earlier today the NCAA announced its big plans for how it will replace teams that have to drop out of the tournament with COVID issues. You can read it here if you haven’t already.
Now let’s talk about these First Four alternates and a nightmare situation that could arise.
As the policy is written, only the First Four teams out of the tournament will be considered as replacements for any tournament teams that have to bow out. Right now those First Four are Stanford, UConn, Duke and Richmond, in that order, although Duke is playing so well the Blue Devils could be the first of the four when they’re announced on Selection Sunday.