The National Collegiate Athletic Association canceled the US national men's basketball tournament on Thursday, shutting down "March Madness" for devoted basketball fans across the United States. NCAA president Mark Emmert announced that the organization's board of governors had canceled the men's and women's national tournaments as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA national championship events. "This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities," the NCAA said in a statement. js/bb