See how this week in sports would have unfolded in a world without the coronavirus
For most of the last month the Herald-Leader has been taking a week-by-week look at all the sporting events which have been canceled around the country because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This edition will likely hit hard for University of Kentucky fans. Not only would the UK men’s basketball team have potentially been playing for the ninth national championship in program history, the football Wildcats were originally scheduled to give fans a glimpse of what to expect this fall.
Monday marks the beginning of the fourth full week without sports. Here’s a look at what fans will be missing out on:
Monday
Men’s college basketball was set to take center stage Monday during the NCAA Tournament championship game in Atlanta. The last two surviving squads would have had the limelight mostly to themselves as just one NBA game was scheduled, the Chicago Bulls at the Los Angeles Clippers.
Tuesday
Local baseball fans would have had a couple of great options Tuesday. The University of Kentucky baseball team was set to host rival Louisville at Kentucky Proud Park. The Wildcats would have sought to end a three-game skid against the Cardinals. The Lexington Legends were also scheduled to take the field in an exhibition against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Whitaker Bank Ballpark.
Also on Tuesday, a major sports star was set to make an appearance at a small Kentucky college. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2010, was slated to be the keynote speaker for the annual Excellence in Leadership Series event at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg.
The NBA would have taken over the basketball spotlight with 13 scheduled games, highlighted by a matchup of two top-five teams in the Eastern Conference — the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.
Wednesday
The St. Louis Blues would have begun their title defense when the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs got underway on Wednesday. The University of Kentucky softball team would have hosted Morehead State at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington
Six NBA games were scheduled, including a matchup of Eastern Conference playoff contenders Indiana and Boston.
Thursday
There would have been major buzz surrounding the golf world on Thursday when The Masters teed off in Augusta, Ga., featuring defending champion Tiger Woods.
In baseball, the Lexington Legends would have opened the season at Whitaker Bank Ballpark with the first of a four-game series against the Greenville Drive, while the Cincinnati Reds would have hosted the first of a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Kentucky baseball would have opened a three-game series against LSU at Kentucky Proud Park.
Friday
One of the premier showcases for high school basketball talent in the country, the Nike Hoops Summit, would have gotten underway in Portland, Ore., on Friday. Numerous players who went on to be selected No. 1 in the NBA Draft have starred at the event over the years, including former Kentucky stars Anthony Davis, John Wall and Karl-Anthony Towns..
Kentucky softball would have opened a two-game set at perennial power Oklahoma. Five NBA games were originally on the schedule.
Saturday
This would have been a biggie for folks around Lexington. The Kentucky football team would have played its annual Blue-White Spring Game at Kroger Field at noon. Not long after that, a full race card would have kicked off at Keeneland, highlighted by the running of a major Kentucky Derby prep race, the Grade 3, $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes.
UK softball would have wrapped its short series at Oklahoma and UK baseball would have hosted its series finale against LSU. Also, 11 NBA games would have been played.
Sunday
One of the PGA’s biggest weekends of the year would have wrapped up with the final round of The Masters. The NASCAR Toyota Owners 400 was scheduled at Richmond Raceway in Virginia.
The Cincinnati Reds and Lexington Legends would have wrapped up their respective four-game series in their home parks.
A pair of former University of Kentucky star big men would have squared off in one of four NBA games when Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers hosted Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
