{"id":3138,"date":"2021-03-29T14:00:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-29T18:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/?p=3138"},"modified":"2021-04-05T00:12:24","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T04:12:24","slug":"live-story-ncaa-tournament-bubble-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportsreporting\/2021\/03\/29\/live-story-ncaa-tournament-bubble-life\/","title":{"rendered":"LIVE STORY: NCAA Tournament Bubble Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Out of every major sport, the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected college basketball the most. From canceling last year’s NCAA tournament, causing millions in revenue loss, to this year’s tournament being held under drastically different conditions, college basketball has been forced to change dramatically. <\/span><\/p>\n

On top of the stresses of being a student and living in a pandemic, athletes were faced with the added pressure of essentially isolating themselves for the entirety of the season to avoid exposure and routine testing. This continues as the NCAA follows suit with most major league sports by creating a bubble for their tournament in Indiana, as opposed to the nationwide spread it traditionally has. <\/span><\/p>\n

But given that the NCAA has not always had the best track record when it comes to treating their student-athletes the way they should be catered to, it creates an interesting microcosm within Indianapolis for the tournament. All eyes are on the NCAA bubble here at Clarity Stripe as we will continuously update this article throughout the tournament with stories, posts, and all the latest content to keep up to date with the Madness.<\/span><\/p>\n

MOST RECENT:<\/b><\/p>\n

STORY #5:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Being inside the bubble didn’t mean basketball all the time, the players tried to make the most of their time while they were isolated. As the tournaments come to an end here’s a look back at some of the fun things players did to pass the time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, players and teams were under strict schedules that allowed for little down time. If they wanted to spend time outdoors, the team had to book recreational time at the minor league baseball stadium across the street from the hotel. Here, players were able to take a break from basketball and try and have a bit of fun with their teammates. Iowa even started their own wiffle ball tournament that became the talk of the bubble. Below is a peak into what that looked liked.<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.hawkcentral.com\/videos\/sports\/2021\/03\/18\/watch-iowa-mens-basketball-team-play-wiffle-ball-indianapolis\/4743844001\/<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gonzaga\u2019s players and their head coach Mark Few also started their own makeshift pickleball court inside the hotel, while Baylor created makeshift basketball courts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other games that were played included ping pong tournaments, corn hole, card games and one team even brought bowling pins and balls that they set up in their wing of the hotel. Not only will there be a NCAA basketball champion, but there were also many champions crowned in games like Uno, FIFA, Connect Four and anything else the players could think to play.<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing that players really started to miss was a barber. This led to another fun activity of teammates attempting to cut each other’s hair. Oregon State even contemplated having someone go down the line and buzz everyone’s heads.<\/span><\/p>\n

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NCAA forgot to hire barbers for the bubble so kids gotta do it themselves \ud83d\ude02 #BubbleCut<\/a><\/p>\n

— Tyler Davenport (@davhandmade) March 28, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n