The First Domino Has Fallen

[crixus]

Good article - 365 days of uncertainty, change and hope in the NBA and America. It's now been a full year since the first NBA player tested positive for Covid-19.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/sto...pe-nba-america

[SW_Mustang]

Good article - 365 days of uncertainty, change and hope in the NBA and America. It's now been a full year since the first NBA player tested positive for Covid-19.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/sto...pe-nba-america

It's crazy how fast the last year passed.

The NBA wasn't the first to take shutdown measures against COVID in the US - but they certainly were the biggest at the time. IMO, this for me was COVID's true "arrival" in the US.

[Wildcat Khan]

Duke out of the ACC tournament and sees their at large hopes blink out. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...ovid-test-team . I hope this isn't like Portland the last week of the WCC season with a false positive as Duke needs the ACC tournament to make the NCAA tournament and to lose that opportunity for a false positive would be terrible. Portland got to play in the WCC tournament, but lost in the first round.

[Uwfalum98]

[Wildcat Khan]

I saw that when I woke up this morning and was surprised. I have to wonder about the ACC tournament now along with NC A&T as this is happening in North Carolina, but not in Vegas with 5 tournaments there this week. Is there some protocol in North Carolina that may be part of this?

Also I hope Virginia can still make the tournament with 5+ players out of virus protocol and 7 days of negative tests. They deserve a chance to defend their tournament championship.

[Wildcat Khan]

Now Kansas is out of the Big 12 tournament. They already were missing 2 players due to Covid. Virginia is exhausting all possibilities to still compete in the Big Dance.

[SW_Mustang]

Geno Auriemma tests positive for COVID 19:

UConn Huskies' Geno Auriemma tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of NCAA women's basketball tournament (espn.com)

Looks like UCONN will be able to continue into the second round without him.

[SW_Mustang]

Not COVID related, but College of the Ozarks decides to cut ties with the NAIA - will become an NCCAA school exclusively:

College of the Ozarks cuts ties with the NAIA (ky3.com)

[crixus]

CBI tournament cut to only 8 teams due to Covid-19. But I'm glad they're playing, any sign of back to normal life is good by me. CIT isn't holding their tourney.

[Wildcat Khan]

2021 NIT key dates


First Round: March 17-20
Quarterfinals: March 25
Semifinals: March 27
Third-place game: March 28
Championship: March 28


2021 NIT first round schedule


Upper Left Bracket
No. 1 Colorado State vs. No. 4 Buffalo -- March 19, 7 p.m.
No. 2 Davidson vs. No. 3 NC State -- March 18, 7 p.m.

Lower Left Bracket
No. 1 Memphis vs. No. 4 Dayton -- March 20, 12 p.m.
No. 2 Boise State vs. No. 3 SMU -- March 18, 9 p.m.

Upper Right Bracket
No. 1 Saint Louis vs. No. 4 Mississippi State -- March 20, 5 p.m.
No. 2 Richmond vs. No. 3 Toledo -- March 17, 7 p.m.

Lower Right Bracket
No. 1 Ole Miss vs. No. 4 Louisiana Tech -- March 19, 9 p.m.
No. 2 Saint Mary's vs. No. 3 Western Kentucky -- March 17, 9 p.m.

Of course this could have changed today. At this time, no teams have pulled out of the NCAA bracket which may be good news for Virginia. Kansas looks good as they left 3 people in Kansas, one who was already out for the Big 12 Tournament. It also appears Duke declined to go.

[crixus]

Six NCAA referees removed from March Madness due to Covid-19 protocols.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...-19-protocols/

[Uwfalum98]

https://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-t...H3MLMMBFHFPY4/

[crixus]

New York Rangers coaching staff hit by Covid-19.

??????https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...d-19-protocols

[Wildcat Khan]

Sooners starting point guard out for the first weekend of the Tournament: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...ament-covid-19

[Uwfalum98]

Oklahoma's De'Vion Harmon tests positive for COVID-19, will miss NCAA Tournament

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nt/4740856001/