Saturday’s first-round game between Oregon No. 7 and No. 10 VCU was declared out of contention because of VVU’s COVID-19 protocols, the NCAA said.
Oregon automatically advances to the second round.
“The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee said the VCU-Oregon game scheduled for Saturday night at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum is a negative contest because of COVID-19 protocols,” the NCAA statement said. “This decision was taken in consultation with the Public Health Directorate of Marion County.
“As a result, Oregon will move to the next round of the tournament. The NCAA and the committee regret that student-athletes and VCU coaching staff will not be able to play in a tournament in which they have won the right to participate. Due to privacy issues, we cannot provide additional details. “
This is the first NCAA tournament game canceled or declared out of competition due to COVID-19 issues. The NCAA set a deadline Tuesday night for replacement teams to enter the field; no team was in trouble at the time.
To enter the controlled environment of the NCAA tournament in Indianapolis, the teams had to show seven consecutive days of negative COVID-19 tests. Once in Indianapolis, the teams undergo daily tests.
NCAA Senior Vice President Dan Gavitt said before the NCAA tournament that a team can continue to play in the tournament as long as it has five “eligible and healthy” players. Tracking NCAA tournament contacts and other COVID-19 protocols should have prevented a team from having to retire due to one or two positive tests.
“This is extremely disappointing and heartbreaking for the student-athletes who have worked so hard for this opportunity,” Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade said in a statement. “During this pandemic, medical advisory boards have the authority to make this decision for the safety and well-being of all student-athletes, staff and teams.
“VCU has had a remarkable year, and this obstacle does not diminish any of their achievements.”
Oregon will play the winner no. 2 Iowa Vs. no. 15 Grand Canyon.