LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- When the men’s college basketball schedules were released last fall, Saturday, Jan. 30, was stuffed with intriguing local viewing possibilities.
Boston College was booked for Louisville. Indiana was bound for Michigan. And Texas, a Top-10 team, was headed for Lexington to play Kentucky in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
The novel coronavirus is not undefeated, but it keeps turning the college basketball season upside down while stirring questions about how the game will get to the finish line and celebrate an NCAA Tournament champion.
The BC-U of L and IU-Michigan games were shuffled off the calendar last week. On Friday, Kentucky was forced to cancel its game against Texas. The Longhorns were already without their head coach, Shaka Smart, who went into quarantine after a positive COVID-19 test earlier this week.
According to a statement by UK, the pause was the result of “a combination of positive testing, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the program.”
Ten days ago, before Kentucky played Georgia, John Calipari essentially predicted a scenario like this. Calipari said the Wildcats had been mostly without problems but that he believed his players needed time outside their game/practice/lodging bubble in Lexington to create normal socializing.
“We rented out a movie theater,” Calipari said. “You and I know that's dangerous. It's dangerous.
“Having them come to my house. I didn't have staff or managers come. We've done it three or four times. Guess what? If one of our guys gets it, we're going to end up having to shut down because we're doing stuff to bring them together.
“We've had some meals out. And again, trying to be at a social distance, but you're eating meals, no mask. You're in a room by yourselves. But again, it's all dangerous, but it got to a point where I said, 'Look, we've got to do this. This isn't just about playing basketball and not catching this virus; this has become bigger than that.’
“It's become how do we do this other stuff, be as safe as we can be — you're not going to be perfect — but it's as safe as you can be.”
Did a move like that create one of Kentucky’s issues?
Most programs that have stopped have done it for at least a week and usually longer. No word why Kentucky announced a 48-hour pause. That means Kentucky’s trip to Missouri on Tuesday remains on the schedule.
On the last weekend of January, there’s still time for programs and conferences to regroup and reschedule.
But pressing questions are inevitably coming: What is the plan if a team develops COVID issues on Friday, March 11, the day of the quarterfinals or semifinals of many conference tournaments? Should conference tournaments be played or should teams head to quarantine early to make certain they’re healthy for the NCAA event?
Conference tournament TV money is important. NCAA Tournament money is critical.
I’m not trying to be a killjoy, but a COVID pause could interrupt the NCAA Tournament after the teams gather in Indianapolis in the days after the conference tournaments.
Louisville brought a handful of programs to town and tried to create a bubble at the Galt House in November. The Wade Houston Classic started strong but failed to finish. It's not easy.
What are the odds of bringing 68 groups of players, coaches and support personnel to Indianapolis without people straying from the protocols or developing positive tests?
I can’t answer that one, but I can share this: By going on a 48-hour pause, Kentucky will join 20 other programs that are currently stopped by the virus.
According to the NCAA, Davidson, Santa Clara and Oregon joined UK by going into pause earlier this week.
At least 455 games have been canceled with 424 games postponed this season. While writing this column, I changed the totals because the Saint Louis-Richmond game was postponed at 1:45 p.m.
That translates to an interruption rate of about 15%.
Not bad, but 15% will be a substantial problem seven weeks from this weekend.
There will be 52 games are scheduled during the first five days of the NCAA tournament (March 18-22) at multiple spots in Indiana. A 15% postponement rate there would be seven or eight games. Good luck trying to play a winner-advance, loser-go-home tournament when you’re surrounded by postponements.
This weekend, Kentucky, Louisville and Indiana won’t play the games they’re supposed to play. The Cardinals, Wildcats and Hoosiers have time to regroup. In March, it won’t be so easy.
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