Michael Conroy/Associated Press
College basketball tournaments were widely canceled on Thursday amid a national reckoning with the coronavirus pandemic and swelling questions over whether the N.C.A.A. would proceed with its showcase men’s and women’s tournaments later this month.
The most influential leagues in college sports — the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conferences — all said Thursday that they would abandon their men’s basketball tournaments.
“We understand that this decision will be disappointing to our student-athletes and coaches who have been preparing all season to compete in this event, as well as viewers at home,” Greg Sankey, the SEC commissioner, said in as statement.