The NCAA’s Division I Council set a Nov. 25 start date for the college basketball season Wednesday, the NCAA announced in a statement.

In Wednesday’s meeting, the council also voted to start full preseason practice on Oct. 14, with a transitional period beginning Sept. 21 allowing student-athletes to practice up to 12 hours a week, according to the statement.

“Moving the start date back from Nov. 10 is intended to have contests begin when at least three-quarters of Division I schools will have concluded their fall terms or moved remaining instruction and exams online, creating a more controlled and less populated campus environment that may reduce the risk of COVID-19 that can occur between student-athletes and the broader student body population,” the statement said.  

Along with no scrimmages or exhibitions before Nov. 25, the regular season will be reduced by four games. The maximum number of games a basketball team is allowed to play is now 27.

The council also voted to keep the dead period for recruiting visits until Jan. 1.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the college basketball season was originally scheduled to start on Nov. 10. According to the Texas men’s basketball schedule, the Longhorns were scheduled to kick off the season against Louisiana at the Frank Erwin Center.

Instead, Texas could start their season at the Maui Invitational, which CBS Sports reporter Jon Rothstein said is expected to be played in Asheville, North Carolina, or Indianapolis, Indiana. The Longhorns’ main marquee nonconference matchup was a home game against Gonzaga on Nov. 13.