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The NCAA men’s basketball season hasn’t even started yet and it is already facing huge changes. Last week, Seton Hall halted their schedule and called off their opener against Winthrop following a positive COVID-19 test (they now plan to start Nov. 27 against Louisville), while Sunday saw Florida cancel their upcoming ones. games against UMass-Lowell and No. 4 Virginia (both of which had been set for the “Bubbleville” event at Mohegan Sun, Conn. (logo seen above), an event originally scheduled to feature 40 teams and 45 games on the FloHoops and ESPN platforms). And Monday saw even more games unfold, starting with No.2 Baylor retiring from ‘Bubbleville’ after head coach Scott Drew tested positive:
Drew tested for COVID-19 on Friday, the result came on Saturday morning. The rest of the squad tested negative on Sunday, but the reality is that opposing teams and their medics were uncomfortable playing Baylor in light of Drew’s positive test. The bears are CBB’s # 2 team.
– Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 23, 2020
On Monday night, no one knew if Baylor’s Sunday game against Seton Hall would be changed. Meanwhile, Rhode Island is should replace Baylor in the 2K Empire Classic event at the Mohegan Sun, also featuring Villanova, Boston College and Arizona State. Elsewhere, Tennessee has canceled its Volunteer Classic after several positive tests among coaches, athletes, managers and support staff. Head coach Rick Barnes revealed he tested positive:
A decision regarding this week’s Volunteer Classic games has yet to be made. pic.twitter.com/6iXMprWI11
– Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) November 23, 2020
This week’s Volunteer Classic MTE has been canceled due to COVID-19 contact tracing.
– Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) November 23, 2020
This has an impact on Charlotte and VCU, who have lost games to Tennessee. They also agreed to cancel their scheduled match against each other so that Tennessee did not have to host the event and are considering other programming options. Likewise, Ole Miss canceled the Justin Reed Ole Miss Classic they were supposed to host, along with a following game:
Ole Miss has canceled her multi-team event (November 25-27) as well as the game against Memphis on December 5 due to positive COVID tests and contact tracing.
– Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 23, 2020
It also impacts the three other schools that had planned to play there: Jackson State, Arkansas State and Central Arkansas. The Arkansas center said it is looking for a replacement game (s), and other schools may be as well.
Meanwhile, Duke postponed their scheduled opening (which had been set for their campus on Wednesday) against Gardner-Webb:
NEWS: Our Wednesday night game against Gardner-Webb has been postponed following a positive COVID-19 test in the Gardner-Webb program.
Our season opener is now scheduled for this Saturday against Coppin State in Cameron (2 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra).
– Men’s Basketball Duke (@DukeMBB) November 23, 2020
And Arizona postponed their opener against northern Arizona:
Arizona’s game against NAU on Wednesday was postponed, source said @Stadium. Positive test in Northern Arizona program, by source.
– Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 23, 2020
The Eastern Washington-Oregon game has also been postponed:
Our season opening in Oregon, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed.
More information -> https://t.co/QtDOvHaGiL pic.twitter.com/408DDpyAIM
– EWU MBB (@EWUMBB) November 24, 2020
It’s already a lot of disruption, and the season hasn’t even started yet. We’ll see where things go from here.
[Yahoo Sports]
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