Abilene Christian NCAA Tournament run worth over $120 million?

Last fall, numerous outside observers and even well-respected basketball minds such as legendary Duke Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski questioned the NCAA hosting seasons amid what will hopefully be the worst months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. 

Don't tell that to anybody associated with the Abilene Christian Wildcats men's basketball team during the final full week of March. 

Abilene Christian became one of the darlings of the 2021 NCAA Tournament when the No. 14-seeded Wildcats stunned the Texas Longhorns, No. 3 in the East Region, this past Saturday. While the UCLA Bruins smashed the Wildcats 67-47 on Monday, Abilene Christian president Dr. Phil Schubert said during a phone interview earlier in the week that the win over Texas was worth a fortune for the school. 

"So far we are close to $120 million plus and we really haven’t had time to tally up the totals," Schubert explained, per Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

Schubert said that the team's nationally televised tournament run should lead to an increase in donations and, ultimately, increased enrollment numbers. 

"There are other places a university can make significant steps, but I’d say nothing compares to the level of visibility and market value that comes with men’s basketball, at least for us," he said. "There is no way we can afford the type of the kind of investment return we get here. It shows you what an incredible opportunity these situations bring."

Debates may continue for years on how the NCAA should've handled competitions throughout the pandemic, but it's a safe bet Abilene Christian officials will forever fondly remember this year's edition of March Madness.