Santa Clara forced to postpone Gonzaga game
Santa Clara and the West Coast Conference have made adjustments to this week’s schedule because of coronavirus issues.
Thursday’s Santa Clara game at Gonzaga has been postponed, and Saturday’s matchup against Saint Mary’s will now take place in Moraga and serve as the West Coast Conference opener for the Broncos.
Because of COVID-19 contact tracing protocols, the Broncos (62) have been in quarantine since last week after a game against New Mexico State was canceled. Santa Clara last played on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at USC.
Undefeated and top-ranked Gonzaga replaced Santa Clara with BYU on Thursday.
• Oregon State’s game at Colorado scheduled for Saturday in Boulder has been postponed because of COVID-19 protocols in the Beavers’ program. The schools and the Pac-12 are working to find a mutually agreeable date to reschedule the game.
Oregon State’s game at Utah scheduled for today also was postponed.
• The Memphis game at UCF was postponed hours before tipoff because of positive COVID-19 cases and ensuing contact tracing at the Florida school.
• Georgia Tech has shut down all athletic activities and postponed tonight’s game at Notre Dame because of COVID-19 protocols.
• The Penn State- Ohio State men’s basketball game scheduled for today has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues with the Nittany Lions. An Ohio State spokesman said the team is continuing to prepare for its road game Saturday at Rutgers.
NO. 4 TEXAS 78, IOWA STATE 72 >> Andrew Jones scored a careerhigh 23 points as the Longhorns built a big second-half lead and held on during the furious final two minutes to outlast the Cyclones in Austin.
Iowa State (2- 6, 0- 4 Big 12) clawed to within four points on a second- chance layup by Tyler Harris with 10 seconds to play but could get no closer.
The Longhorns (9-1, 3- 0) have won five straight games.
Javan Johnson led the Cyclones with 21 points. Iowa State has lost six of its past seven games.
NO. 18 TEXAS TECH 82, KANSAS STATE 71 >> Terrence Shannon Jr. beat the first-half buzzer with a jumper on his way to 22 points, Mac McClung added 16, and the Red Raiders (9-3, 2-2 Big 12) picked up their first conference home victory and beat the Wildcats in Lubbock for the seventh straight time.
Freshmen Nigel Pack and Selton Miguel scored 17 points to lead Kansas State (5-7, 1-3).
NO. 19 CLEMSON 74, NC STATE 70 >>
The Tigers (9-1, 3-1 ACC) rallied from nine-points down in the second half then beat the Wolfpack (6-2, 2-1) in overtime. Nick Honor had 21 points and tied things at 62 with 38 seconds left in regulation to set up the extra period.
Women
BAYLOR-UCONN GAME IS OFF >> No. 6 Baylor canceled its much-anticipated women’s basketball game Thursday night against No. 3 UConn after Bears coach Kim Mulkey tested positive for COVID-19. Baylor said it began restricting team activities after Mulkey tested positive on Monday, the same day she had been planning to rejoin the team.
Mulkey missed Baylor’s win Saturday at TCU because of contact tracing after being exposed on Christmas Day to a family member who tested positive.
Mulkey now hopes to rejoin the program Jan. 15, if she shows no symptoms.
UConn (6- 0) is now scheduled to play at home Saturday against Providence in a Big East game when Huskies coach Geno Auriemma will seek his 1,098th win. That would tie him with the late Pat Summitt for second on the all-time wins list. Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer set the record earlier this season and now has 1,103. The pandemic has disrupted college basketball since the season began in late November with many games canceled or postponed.