The NCAA Tournament saw its first game canceled due to COVID-19 on Saturday.
Saturday night’s game between No. 7 Oregon and No. 10 VCU was declared a no-contest by the NCAA because of COVID-19 protocols with VCU. The Rams were pulled from the NCAA Tournament on Saturday after what the school said were “multiple” positive COVID-19 tests within the past two days
Oregon will automatically advance to the second round to face the Iowa-Grand Canyon winner.
“We’ve been tested every day for the past three weeks, but within the past 48 hours we’ve received multiple positive tests,” VCU coach Mike Rhoades said in a statement. “We are devastated for our players and coaches. It has been a dream for all of us to play in the NCAA Tournament.
“We appreciate the care of our doctors and administration this year, and all our efforts and attention will be put into our players at this time.”
The decision was made in consultation with the Marion County Public Health Department with the game scheduled for Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. VCU had a positive test first appear on Wednesday and two more positives followed Friday night, according to CBS Sports. It led to health officials and the NCAA to decide it was too risky to allow VCU to play.
CBS also reported that the tech tracking teams during practice was not the reason for the decision, but because in VCU’s case it looked like COVID-19 was “spreading”
“The NCAA and the committee regret that VCU’s student-athletes and coaching staff will not be able to play in a tournament in which they earned the right to participate,” the NCAA said in a statement. “Because of privacy issues we cannot provide further details.”
VCU (19-7, 10-4 Atlantic 10), who lost to St. Bonaventures in the conference tournament final, was in the field for the ninth time in 10 tournaments. The Rams made it to the Final Four in 2011 as an 11 seed.
“The wait is over! Time for some March Madness!” the school’s basketball account tweeted just six hours before the withdrawal was announced.
The Rams were forced to stop practicing or playing on Jan. 2 because of a positive COVID-19 test within their program, forcing a game against Davidson to be postponed. They resumed practice two days later and made it through the rest of the season without further problems.
“This is tremendously disappointing and heartbreaking for the student-athletes who’ve worked so hard for this opportunity,” Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade said in a statement. “During this pandemic, the medical advisory boards have the authority to make this decision for the safety and welfare (for) all of the student-athletes, staff and teams.
“VCU has had an outstanding year, and this setback does not diminish any of their accomplishments.”
— with AP