Inside: Alabama’s Saban tests positive for virus, will miss Iron Bowl.
The Iron Bowl will be without its biggest star.
No. 1 Alabama’s iconic coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19 just before the game with No. 22 Auburn. Since he was experiencing mild symptoms, it appears there won’t be a false positive reprieve for Saban like there was last month before another huge game against Georgia.
Team physician Dr. Jimmy Robinson and head trainer Jeff Allen said in a joint statement that the positive test came Wednesday.
“He has very mild symptoms, so this test will not be categorized as a potential false positive,” the statement said. “He will follow all appropriate guidelines and isolate at home.”
NO. 7 CINCINNATI AT TEMPLE CANCELED BECAUSE OF VIRUS ISSUES >> No. 7 Cincinnati’s game at Temple this weekend was canceled because both teams are dealing with COVID-19 issues.
The American Athletic Conference said the game scheduled for Saturday could not be made up on Dec. 5, even though both teams have an open date, because the league’s protocols “would not allow for a sufficient number of players to be available for competition on that day.”
College basketball
NO. 2 STANFORD WOMEN GET BALANCED EFFORT, ROUT CAL POLY >> Haley Jones scored on a layin 14 seconds into the game and wound up with 16 points and 10 rebounds playing for the first time in more than 10 months since a knee injury ended her freshman season early, leading No. 2 Stanford past Cal Poly 108- 40 in the teams’ season opener.
Hall of Fame Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer began her 35th season on The Farm by moving to 1,095 career wins — four from passing the late Pat Summitt’s 1,098 victories to become the all- time winningest NCAA Division-I women’s basketball coach.
Stanford (1- 0), one of four Pac-12 teams in the preseason Top-10 rankings and five among the top 18, used a 26-2 run to end the first half and build a 51-18 lead then kept pushing as the entire roster gained valuable min
utes.
NFL
RAVENS- STEELERS GAME MOVED FROM THURSDAY NIGHT TO SUNDAY >> The Thanksgiving night game between the Ravens and Steelers has been switched to Sunday because of coronavirus issues with Baltimore.
The NFL announced the move Wednesday, but did not specify a time of game nor which network would televise it. Previously, it was scheduled for NBC’s primetime telecast.
Baltimore placed outside linebacker Pernell McPhee on the reserve/COVID-19, joining running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins and defensive tackle Brandon Williams. The Ravens also have been doing team work virtually.
NBA
NBA MOVES INDIANAPOLIS’ ALL-STAR WEEKEND TO 2024 >> Indianapolis will host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2024, the league said Wednesday, formally rescheduling the plans for that city to be the site of the league’s midseason showcase this season.
Cleveland will play host in 2022 and Salt Lake City will do so in 2023, both of those sites and years previously announced. The next open spot on the league’s All-Star calendar was 2024, which now belongs to Indianapolis.
The league said “public health conditions prevented the Pacers, the NBA All- Star Host Committee and the NBA from appropriately planning and executing fan-focused All-Star activities in Indianapolis that were envisioned for this February.”
BIG UPGRADE FOR HAWKS >> Just like that, the Atlanta Hawks transformed themselves into a playoff contender.
A team that averaged less than 25 wins the last three seasons added to its impressive young core with a whirlwind of free-agent signings, capped by the news late Tuesday that Sacramento would not match a fouryear, $72 million offer sheet to Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Flush with cash heading into free agency after beginning a major overhaul three years ago, the Hawks quickly signed forward Danilo Gallinari (three years, $61.5 million) and guards Rajon Rondo (two years, $15 million) and Kris Dunn (two years, $10 million).
Tennis
SPORTS MINISTER: AUSTRALIAN OPEN ‘MOST LIKELY’ TO BE DELAYED >> The sports minister for Victoria state says the 2021 Australian Open in Melbourne will “most likely” be delayed by a week or two from its scheduled start of Jan. 18.
Martin Pakula also said negotiations between various levels of governments and tennis officials were close to a conclusion and that the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year was expected to go ahead.
“There’s a number of potential dates on the table. I’ve seen reports that suggest that it’s likely to be delayed by a week or two. I think that’s still most likely,” Pakula said Wednesday. “But it’s not the only option. As you know, the French Open was delayed by many months and Wimbledon didn’t occur at all.”