Virus issues foil marquee matchup

Gonzaga, Baylor aim to reschedule game

INDIANAPOLIS — Coaches Mark Few of Gonzaga and Scott Drew of Baylor scheduled Saturday’s game for all the right seasons.

They wanted their teams to have another early-season test and play in front of a national TV audience.

The game on CBS between the nation’s top two college basketball teams figured to draw excellent ratings.

For now, No. 1 vs. No. 2 is off.

Less than 90 minutes before tip-off, the teams announced the postponement because of two positive COVID-19 tests in the topranked Bulldogs program. In a joint statement, the schools said one player and one nonplayer in the Gonzaga travel party tested positive. The unidentified player didn’t play Wednesday against No. 11 West Virginia.

“We are following the advice of public health officials,” the coaches said. “When we decided to play

during a pandemic, our priorities were protecting the health and safety of student-athletes and following public health guidelines, and we’re proud of how both programs have held true to those promises.

“There are much greater issues in this world than not being able to play a basketball game, so we’re going to continue praying for everyone who has been affected by this pandemic.”

Before heading back to Waco, Texas, Drew told reporters on a Zoom call both programs wanted to play, but it was determined they couldn’t do it safely after consulting with the Indiana state health commissioner, the Marion County public health director and both team physicians.

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No. 7 Kansas 65, North Dakota State 61:

At Lawrence, Kan., Tyon Grant-Foster drove for the go-ahead basket with just more than a minute left and blocked Sam Grisel’s layup with 10 seconds to go for the Jayhawks (4-1), who closed on a 7-0 run. Jalen Wilson scored 14 points for Kansas. Tyree Eady scored 14 points for the Bison (0-4), who scored the first eight points and trailed 35-33 at halftime.

■ No. 10 Houston 77, South Carolina 67: At Houston, Quentin Grimes scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half, making 12 of 13 free throws, for the Cougars (4-0), who overcame 38-percent shooting. The Gamecocks (1-2) led 35-31 at halftime. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson missed the game because of COVID-19 contact tracing.

MOUNTAIN WEST Brigham Young 67, Utah State 64:

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At Logan, Utah, Connor Harding hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 57 seconds left for the Cougars (5-1), who were led by Alex Barcello’s 23 points. Neemias Queta scored 18 points for the Aggies (1-3), who trailed 39-29 at halftime and held a 42-35 edge in rebounds.

■ Air Force 59, Lamar 44: At Colorado Springs, Colo., Chris Joyce scored 23 points for the Falcons (2-1), who held Anderson Kopp, the top scorer for the Cardinals (0-4) at 19.0 points per game, to eight on 4-for-13 shooting. Air Force led 24-21 at halftime.

WOMEN South Florida 67, No. 6 Mississippi State 63, OT:

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At Tampa, Fla., Elisa Pinzan scored two of her team-high 14 points on free throws with 5.4 seconds left in overtime for the Bulls (2-1), who beat a top-10 foe for the first time. The Bulldogs (2-1) were held without a field goal for a seven-minute second-quarter stretch.

The Associated Press Charlie Riedel Kansas forward David McCormack prepares to block a shot by North Dakota State guard Boden Skunberg in the first half of the Jayhawks’ 65-61 win Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.