Blue Devils game postponed due to virus
Coach K was set to miss Saturday’s game
No. 20 Duke’s matchup against No. 18 Florida State in Tallahassee on Saturday, which the Blue Devils had been set to play without coach Mike Krzyzewski, has been postponed, the ACC announced Friday night.
The postponement is due to a positive COVID-19 test in the Florida State program, as well as contact tracing and other protocols.
Earlier Friday, Duke had announced Krzyzewski had come into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus and would be sidelined “to observe standard quarantine protocol after being exposed to an individual not in the travel party who tested positive for COVID-19.”
The team said Krzyzewski did not travel to Florida with the Blue Devils. Jon Scheyer, associate head coach and a former Duke standout, was set to be the acting head coach.
After suffering a 15-point home loss to Illinois on Dec. 8, Krzyzewski expressed concerns about the season moving forward during the pandemic. He subsequently announced that his team would cancel its remaining nonconference games.
Duke, 3-2 through five games, has not played since its 75-65 win againsy Notre Dame on Dec. 16 — its only game since its loss to Illinois.
Duke’s women’s basketball team recently canceled its season amid concerns about COVID-19.
Virginia
The No. 23 Virginia men’s basketball team’s game against No. 24 Virginia Tech, set for Saturday in Charlottesville, was postponed after a Cavaliers staff member tested positive for the coronavirus, the ACC announced. No makeup date was announced. The Cavaliers recently returned to the court after a pause of team activities in early December cost them, among other games, a much-anticipated ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup with No. 17 Michigan State. After Virginia called off that game, it entered a 10-day quarantine. The Cavaliers postponed or canceled games against William & Mary, Villanova and Wake Forest, the last of which would have been their ACC opener. After their matchup with No. 4 Villanova was scuttled, the Cavaliers scheduled a neutral-site game against top-ranked Gonzaga.
West Virginia
Sophomore Oscar Tshiebwe is stepping away from the No. 9 Mountaineers’ program due to personal reasons, the school announced Friday morning. “Oscar has our full support, and we certainly wish him the best during this time,” coach Bob Huggins said. There had been rumors of a possible transfer for Tshiebwe, and while West Virginia’s statement doesn’t specify his next move, it’s clear he won’t be available for the Mountaineers in the near future.
Maryland
Senior guard Darryl Morsell had successful surgery Friday morning to repair a fractured bone in his face. Morsell is expected to miss one to two weeks, a reassuring outlook after he left the Terrapins’ game against Michigan on Thursday with a visible indentation near his left temple.