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The college basketball season starts on Wednesday. That much we know for sure.
But, folks, questions abound. How numerous games will really be played, though, as the sport is reeling from a rash of COVID-related cancellations, changes and postponements?
Oh, and what the heck does MTE represent?
That one, buddies, is a 2020 special– it means Several Team Occasion, where a host place (sometimes a place, often a school/team) invites numerous schools/teams to their place for numerous days of games. For the many part, they’re not tournaments or true round-robins, but simply an opportunity to ideally– that’s a keyword this year– play a number of video games in a safe, monitored environment. The appeal of an MTE is the flexibility, which is another keyword for college hoops in 2020, due to the fact that it’s not about who you’re scheduled to play as much as it is who is available to play.
MORE: Meet SN’s college basketball preseason All-Americans for 2020-21
Let’s begin the madness with the most significant MTE, at the Mohegan Sun casino in southeastern Connecticut. The strategy was, as outlined here by CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, was for nearly 40 teams to play 45 games over an 11- day period.
Baylor, the team ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP survey, was among the headliners, as part of the Empire Classic, a four-team mini-event at Mohegan Sun that consisted of Villanova, Arizona State and Boston College.
Well, Baylor’s out. Head coach Scott Drew tested positive for COVID, however the Bears– including Jared Butler, a member of SN’s First-Team Preseason All-America team– at first prepared to come and play anyway because no one else tested favorable. That idea didn’t last long, and Baylor chose not to make the journey
The Bears were supposed to play No. 18 Arizona State on Wednesday in the marquee match of the opening day at Mohegan Sun. For Baylor, Rhode Island was subbed in. Easy enough since Rhode Island was already on site. Versatility like we’ve never ever seen with college basketball scheduling. The Sun Devils and Rams are arranged to tip off at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Y’ understand, a minimum of in the meantime.
Stephen F. Austin made it to Connecticut, with everyone screening negative prior to leaving Texas, but all teams and traveling celebrations are tested instantly upon arrival and one member of the traveling party– not a player, coach or trainer, as Norlander reported— tested positive. Much for that Texas-to-Connecticut journey.
Maine was supposed to play Virginia on Wednesday, however a favorable test in the Maine program scrapped that game, and the Black Bears returned home. Now, Virginia will play Towson, and San Francisco– initially arranged to play SFA– will deal with UMass-Lowell. Sheesh.
The incubation period for COVID is a genuine thing, folks.
And, naturally, it’s not simply a Mohegan Sun issue.
It’s been a troubled offseason for Wichita State, with reports appearing over the summertime of the reprehensible habits– allegations of physical and spoken abuse of players and coaches– of longtime head coach Gregg Marshall, reports that led to the two sides parting methods and the Shockers naming assistant coach Isaac Brown as interim head coach. They were lastly going to turn the page with a season-opening competition in South Dakota, the Bad Young Boy Mowers Crossover Classic (no, truly, that’s the actual name).
Well, the Shockers took a trip to South Dakota– everyone passing coronavirus tests before leaving house– only to have several positive results after tests were administered upon arrival. So a terrible offseason developed into a postponed start to the real season. Those test results happened long enough before the games were to begin that the Bad Young boy powers-that-be had the ability to generate another group, so VCU is replacing Wichita State
Utah State coach Craig Smith discovered of the opponents swap– VCU for Wichita State– when his airplane landed in South Dakota Great times.
And it’s not simply MTEs and tournaments that are being affected. Gardner-Webb, an adventurous squad from the Big South that made the league’s automobile quote for the 2019 NCAA Competition, was expected to start its season with road video games versus ACC powers Duke and Florida State. COVID-related problems within the program led to Duke canceling Wednesday’s video game, and a couple of days later, FSU canceling Friday’s game
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes checked favorable for COVID, and the Volunteers canceled their very first two games of the season.
This, hoops fans, is far from a thorough, exhaustive list.
Wear your masks.
Learn More
https://cnacertificationprogram.net/covid-related-cancellations-adjustments-ruining-start-of-college-basketball-season/
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