And Who’s Not
Oregon advances by no contest after Rams’ virus tests
VCU: The Rams season ended without playing. About three hours before they were to face Oregon Saturday night, the game was declared no contest because of COVID-19 protocols within the program.
INDIANAPOLIS — VCU was pulled from the NCAA tournament Saturday after what the school said were “multiple” positive COVID-19 tests within the past two days, ending the Rams’ run in collegebasketball’s annual showcase before it began.
The entire 2020 tournament was called off because of the pandemic, and the NCAA moved this year’s event to Indiana and put teams in what it called a “controlled environment.” But those steps weren’t enough to ensure every game would be played.
The 10th-seeded Rams’ first-round game Saturday against Oregon was declared a no-contest, the NCAA said, sending the seventh-seeded Ducks into the second round without playing.
“We’ve been tested every day for the past three weeks, but within the past 48 hours we’ve received multiple positive tests,” VCU coach Mike Rhoades said in a statement. “We are devastated for our
players and coaches. It has been a dream for all of us to play in the NCAA Tournament.
“We appreciate the care of our doctors and administration this year, and all our efforts and attention will be put into our players at this time.”
The announcement from the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee came a little more than three hours before the teams were set to play in the West Region. It didn’t offer specific details, citing privacy concerns, and said that the decision came after consultation with the Marion County Public Health Department.
“The NCAA and the committee regret that VCU’s student-athletes and coaching staff will not be able to play in a tournament in which they earned the right to participate,” statement read.
VCU was in the field for the ninth time in 10 tournaments. The Rams made it to the Final Fourin 2011 as an 11 seed.
The Rams were forced to stop practicing or playing Jan. 2because of a positive COVID-19 test within their program, forcing a game against Davidson to be postponed. They resumed practice two days later and made it through the rest of the season without further problems.