COVID puts Kentucky basketball program on pause; Texas game canceled
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted Kentucky basketball for a third time. UK announced Friday that its game against No. 5 Texas scheduled for Saturday has been canceled. It will not be rescheduled.
“A combination of positive testing, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the program” caused the cancellation, UK said in a news release. The men’s basketball program will be put on a 48-hour pause.
“The health and safety of Wildcat student-athletes, coaches and staff remains UK Athletics’ No. 1 priority,” Kentucky said in the news release.
Through Thursday night, there have been 455 games canceled and 423 games postponed this season because of the coronavirus, the NCAA said.
That meant that 84.4 percent of games — or 2,453 — had been played.
Earlier this season, Kentucky’s games against Detroit Mercy and South Carolina were postponed. UK’s game against Detroit Mercy, which features Brad Calipari, the son of UK Coach John Calipari, as one of its players, has been called off twice. Kentucky was to open Southeastern Conference play against South Carolina on Dec. 29. Positive COVID tests within both Detroit Mercy and South Carolina resulted in those games not being played.
Kentucky (5-10) hinted at the games against Detroit Mercy and South Carolina possibly being rescheduled by saying in Friday’s news release that makeup dates had not yet been determined.
UK ticket-holders will be sent emails about how the program plans to proceed, the news release said. It added that “for games that are canceled and not rescheduled, UK Athletics will evaluate credit and refund options … at the conclusion of the season.”
The SEC Medical Guidance Task Force labels basketball, football and volleyball “high transmission risk sports.” It recommends at least a 10-day isolation period starting with the day symptoms appear for any person that tests positive for COVID-19.
Texas (11-3) has had its season interrupted by the coronavirus multiple times. Saturday will mark the fifth game that was not played as scheduled. Earlier, Texas had games against Baylor (Dec. 13), Iowa State (Jan. 20) and TCU (Jan 23) postponed.
The Longhorns’ website lists the game at Kentucky and against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Nov. 29) as canceled.
Texas is scheduled to play against Tuesday against No. 2 Baylor.
The state of Texas declared a highest degree of caution because of COVID-19 the day after Christmas. Coach Shaka Smart has tested positive and was not expected to accompany the team to Kentucky. Early last week, the team had only three scholarship players available for practice.
Kentucky’s next game is scheduled to be Tuesday at Missouri.
Next game
Kentucky at Missouri
9 p.m. Tuesday (ESPN or ESPN2)
