NCAA: We Can’t Wait Seven Months for College Basketball

From ESPN:

Midnight Madness could begin earlier than usual this fall after the NCAA’s Legislative Council approved a new rule.

One change would allow teams to hold up to 30 days of practice in the six weeks leading up to their first regular-season game. Previously, teams had only four weeks to get those practices in.

Another change would eliminate the starting time for the first permissible workouts. Currently, teams are not allowed to begin until 5 p.m. on the Friday closest to Oct. 15. The new rule would allow schools to make their own judgment about the starting time when practice begins.

Unless the NCAA’s board of directors rejects the proposal at its May 2 meeting, the rule will go into effect this fall.

What does this mean for UK?  Well, potentially it means less time to wait for Big Blue Madness in October.  I don’t think anyone will complain about that.  But, possibly better, it would mean more practice time for the young Cats leading up to the regular season.  With so many new faces coming in year after year, the more practice time, the better, for Kentucky.  If this change goes into effect, which looks likely, don’t expect to see the usual “deer in the headlights” freshmen come tipoff in November.  Rather, you’ll see guys who are more comfortable with Cal, and the system who are ready to start playing from Day 1 of the regular season.

Good news all around.  Now if the NCAA could give us Enes back, we’ll call it even.