Baylor men’s team has to drop first 2 games

The Baylor men’s basketball didn’t travel as planned Monday and won’t play two games that had been scheduled in Connecticut to begin a college basketball season whose opening week is being disrupted at several schools.

The cancellations came a day after Bears coach Scott Drew revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19.

The No. 2 Bears were supposed to play No. 18 Arizona State on Wednesday night, then would have played No. 3 Villanova or Boston College on Thanksgiving Day at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Baylor officials confirmed that the team didn’t travel. The Bears are still scheduled to play Sunday at Seton Hall.

Drew said he was notified of his positive test after team-wide testing Friday, but that the rest of the team had tested negative on Friday and again Sunday. He said his was the team’s first positive test in 12 weeks.

Meanwhile, Tennessee has paused activities in its men’s program with coach Rick Barnes among staff, players and other personnel who have tested positive. The No. 12 Volunteers were scheduled to open against Charlotte on Wednesday before facing VCU on Friday in the Volunteer Classic in Knoxville, but that has been canceled.

Ninth-ranked Duke’s season opener against Gardner-Webb has been postponed due to coronavirus issues within the Gardner-Webb program. No. 20 Oregon also lost Wednesday’s opener because of two positive tests for Eastern Washington. Mississippi has canceled four games and suspended team activities until Dec. 7 because of positive tests. Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak and eight of his players, five who were living in the same house and three who were living in another, tested positive to put the start of the Utes’ season on hold.

The highest-profile women’s program also encountered a problem as Connecticut suspended team activities for 14 days after a member of the program tested positive.

The No. 3 Huskies will not compete in their first four scheduled games — two in the Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge this weekend, a Dec. 4 contest against No. 5 Louisville and the Dec. 6 conference opener at Seton Hall.