NCAA president Mark Emmert believed that there would be a men's and women's basketball tournament until Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19.

Emmert had planned to play games without fans in attendance.

"We [were] completely convinced at 4 p.m. on Wednesday that we could conduct the championships without fans by controlling the sites effectively. We thought we could control the perimeters and control the environment, and, as best as possible, travel, because it's mostly charter travel and buses one way or another. We felt really confident about it. We were feeling really, really good," said Emmert.

NCAA vice-president for men's basketball Dan Gavitt admitted that Gobert's positive test changed the mindset of tournament decision-makers.

"When Rudy Gobert was infected on Wednesday night, I think the realization in the basketball community hit home and was very much felt on Thursday morning. The student-athletes, from what we were hearing and sensing, felt very vulnerable. Here was someone they would all like to be one day, playing in the NBA, who got infected and was quarantined with his teammates. ... That was really, in my opinion, a seminal moment in everybody's mindset about how impractical and possibly not responsible it would be at that point to go forward with trying to hold these national championships."

Gavitt added that no official bracket would be released for the 2020 tournament.