Major Conferences Cancel College Basketball Tournaments, Putting NCAA Tournament in Jeopardy
Several college basketball conference tournaments have been canceled moments before tipoff, putting the NCAA Tournament at risk.
Officials with the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC conferences announced their tournaments were off, and other conferences were expected to follow suit.
In New York City, the Big East Tournament began as scheduled. In Indianapolis, Big Ten officials scrapped the tournament less than 30 minutes before Michigan and Rutgers were scheduled to play in the first game of the day.
The Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and AAC all just cancelled their conference tournaments in the last 15 minutes. I’d be surprised if the NCAA Tournament happens next week. This is crazy.
— Brandon Saho (@BrandonSaho) March 12, 2020
The abrupt announcement came shortly after a handful of Michigan players ran onto the floor in a mostly empty Bankers Life Fieldhouse, waving their arms and begging for cheers from the nonexistent crowd.
The clock is ticking on the NCAA tournament. I think we all feel where this is going.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) March 12, 2020
Big Ten officials, like those in many other conferences, announced Thursday they would prohibit most fans, cheerleaders and school bands from attending games beginning Friday.
The men’s NCAA Tournament is one of the most popular events on the American sports calendar. March Madness draws hundreds of thousands of fans to arenas from coast to coast.
Much as it will profoundly disappoint especially in spots in places like Dayton and San Diego State where remarkable seasons have been fashioned together, it’s only a matter of time until the NCAA comes to the same conclusion as the Big Ten and SEC: cancel the tournament.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) March 12, 2020
It’s not just college basketball.
Major League Soccer is shutting down completely because of the coronavirus, according to Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas. He says the target period for the hiatus is 30 days.
He told players and coaches, then held a news conference and says, “We’ve made a decision as a league this morning, as owners, that play will be suspended temporarily.”
The expansion team owned by Mas and former England captain David Beckham had been scheduled to play its home opener Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
On Wednesday night, the NBA announced it was indefinitely suspending its season.
NBA To Suspend Season Following Tonight’s Games pic.twitter.com/2PTx2fkLlW
— NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2020
Jazz star Donovan Mitchell has tested positive for the coronavirus, league sources tell ESPN. Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room touching other players and their belongings. Now a Jazz teammate has tested positive.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2020
Multiple NBA players, including Utah Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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