INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — No bands. No cheer squads. No packed buildings filled with neutral fans suddenly throwing their support behind a plucky double-digit underdog hoping to pull off an upset.

The games during the first week of the NCAA Tournament have still brought madness — see: Oral Roberts, North Texas, Ohio and Abilene Christian — but it’s a much different version than the past.

Yet despite the restrictions, despite the lack of fans with venue capacity capped at 22 % and despite teams being walled off from friends and family — the joy is still there. The fabric of March will always include...