The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Huskies’ next two games postponed
Momentum? No-mentum.
Coming off perhaps its best win of the season on Tuesday night, UConn’s next two scheduled games, against Villanova on Thursday night and at St. John’s on Sunday, have been postponed following the positive test of a referee who worked the Huskies’ win over Butler on Tuesday at Gampel.
UConn will enter into a daily testing protocol and a modified quarantine. The team will not compete against an outside opponent until it is deemed safe by medical professionals.
“Obviously this is disappointing,” said Villanova coach Jay Wright, whose team went through a COVID-related pause earlier in the season. “I really feel bad for Connecticut. I feel bad for anybody going through this, having gone through it now. It’s tough to tell the kids, but this is nothing compared to when it’s the other way around. At least they got to practice. I sensed the disappointment they’re not playing, but a relief that we’re still able to practice.”
UConn’s next scheduled game at this point is on Saturday, Feb. 6 against Seton Hall. The Huskies (8-3, 5-3 Big East) are coming off a 61-49 win over Butler that snapped a twogame losing streak and may have been the team’s best overall performance since league play began.
The Butler program is not on pause, and is expected to play its game against Xavier on Friday night.
Referees are responsible
for their own testing, and providing the results, to allow them to work each game. They have to test at least three times per week, not on consecutive days, and send their samples to the testing labs where the samples are evaluated.
It’s not known when the official from Tuesday night’s game knew his results, or when the Big East or anyone else was made aware.
UConn coach Dan Hurley announced after Tuesday night’s game that talented freshman Andre Jackson might have been able to play against St. John’s or, more likely, in the Seton Hall game. The team’s leading scorer and best player, James Bouknight, is still out after Jan. 12 elbow surgery, and there is still no definite timetable for his return.
Wright said he got the news via a call from Villanova athletic director Mark Jackson early Wednesday morning. He said his staff tried to find a Big East team to reschedule against, but that didn’t work out. The Wildcats are looking for possible local Philadelphiaarea schools to play.
They were supposed to play UConn on Jan. 15, but that game was postponed due to COVID-issues within Villanova’s program. Now, another postponement of the Wildcats’ first Big East game against the Huskies
since 2013.
“Our thoughts are with Connecticut ,I really feel for them,” Wright continued. “Having been there, it’s
tough, man. I worry about it every day.”