More postponements for UConn

COVID-19 issues struck the Big East again this week, and the UConn women were hit particularly hard.

The conference announced Tuesday that Wednesday’s UConn-Seton Hall game has been postponed out of an abundance of caution, as UConn’s opponent last from Saturday, Providence, has entered into a COVID-19 shutdown.

Earlier in the day, Saturday’s UConn-Villanova game was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Wildcats program.

No makeup dates have been announced for either game. As of now, the Huskies aren’t scheduled to play again until Tuesday, Jan. 19, against Butler.

UConn previously beat Seton Hall 92-65 in South Orange, New Jersey, and the Wildcats 90-52 in Villanova. The Huskies have played seven games so far and are six away from reaching the minimum threshold to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Four UConn games in the last week have been postponed or canceled due to COVID-19. First, the Huskies’ nonconference matchup against Baylor was canceled when Kim Mulkey tested positive for the virus. UConn’s game Wednesday was initially supposed to be against Xavier, but that matchup was postponed due to COVID-19 issues in the Musketeers program.

Apart from the recent issues facing Villanova and Providence, five other Big East programs — St. John’s, Marquette, Creighton, Xavier and Georgetown — have undergone COVID-related stoppages since Dec. 28.

Thus far, only 25 Big East women’s basketball games have been played. The league would have to fit in 85 more before early March to maintain a full conference slate, which the league previously said it intends to do.