Facing a swell of outrage and accusations that it had prized men’s basketball players more than students competing in next week’s women’s tournament, the N.C.A.A. apologized Friday for vast disparities in workout facilities at its marquee championship events.
Players at the men’s tournament in Indiana have benefited from an enormous, well-stocked complex in downtown Indianapolis. But the stars of the women’s game, who will play their championship tournament in Texas, were left with just a smattering of gear.
By Friday morning, with the public furor building and the N.C.A.A. already battered by years of pressure over student-athlete rights, the association offered unmitigated regrets — a striking, sudden comedown for an organization frequently criticized for insularity and defiance.