NCAA hoops tourneys to use availability reports

The NCAA announced Thursday that it will implement player availability reports for the 2026 men's and women's basketball tournaments in March.

Teams must submit their availability reports to the NCAA the night before their games and again two hours before tipoff, according to a news release. The reports will be made available to the public.

Players will be assumed to be available unless designated as questionable or out, according to the release. Inaccurate reporting might result in penalties for the school.

The decision to require availability reports, which came after months of discussion, is part of the NCAA's efforts to shield student-athletes from sports betting influences and protect the integrity of the games, the NCAA said.

"Implementing player availability reporting is a major step to increasing student-athlete protections by alleviating pressure for the enhancement of their college experience," NCAA president Charlie Baker said in the release.

HD Intelligence, a data firm that works with multiple conferences on availability reports, will serve as the NCAA's player availability service provider.

The NCAA will assess continuing the program at future Division I basketball championships and other championship events.