Game at Xavier canceled due to COVID issues
As COVID-19 continues to cause havoc in the world of sports, the UConn men’s basketball team became the latest team impacted.
The Huskies’ slated game at No. 23 Xavier on Tuesday night has been canceled due to COVID issues within the UConn program, the Big East announced early Monday evening. It is not known yet whether the game will be rescheduled, or whether UConn will host Butler on New Year’s Day at XL Center in Hartford, though the latter almost certainly won’t happen.
Head coach Dan Hurley is among those who tested positive. Hurley, who is fully vaccinated and received his booster shot, is at home in isolation. Like the multiple UConn players who tested positive, Hurley has been dealing with relatively minor symptoms, though was still feeling the effects on Monday evening.
The Big East’s recently amended policy states that if a team can’t field seven scholarship players and at least one countable coach, the game is canceled and will be attempted to be rescheduled at some point. Originally, the league’s policy held that teams unable to field a roster would have to forfeit, but that was changed late last week.
If the game can’t be rescheduled, it would be designated as a no-contest. There had previously been four forfeitures in league play this season, but all of those will now be either rescheduled or simply go down as no-contests.
UConn’s entire roster and coaching staff is dou
the playoffs in 2016 and was fired the next year. Pat Shurmur lasted two seasons. Judge is finishing up his second.
Hired in late 2017, general manager Dave Gettleman is likely going to take a fall after this season. Judge is question mark — and he is not talking about it.
“I think you come back every week and you go to work, and that doesn’t mean it’s not frustrations within it, whether you’re winning or losing,” Judge said.
He said the addiction to coaching is working with the players and finding ways to have success. It involves showing players their mistakes and teaching them how to correct them. He insists it’s a building process.
“Actually, the adrenaline, the kick you really have as a coach is that high you get from working with the team and being able to share in their success,“the 39-year-old said. “That’s really what you live for, what a coach lives for.”
The question is can Mara and Tisch live with it another year?
WHAT’S WORKING
Despite the score, the defense was outstanding, especially in the first half which ended 3-3. In the second half, the Eagles got a touchdown on an interception return. Another TD was set up by an interception, and a big punt return led to a field goal. Philadelphia had one long drive, a 10-play, 75-yard series capped by the trick play TD pass to tackle Lane Johnson.
Another kudo for the Giants’ defense was it held the Eagles to 130 yards rushing, snapping Philadelphia’s streak of seven straight games at 175 yards or more.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
With Jones out for the season with a neck injury, the Giants have no offense. In the past four weeks, they have scored a combined 46 points. They were held to a season-low 192 yards by the Eagles and their lone
GIANTS at BEARS Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
touchdown came late with Philadelphia leading 34-3. Neither veteran Mike Glennon nor second-year QB Jake Fromm can lead this offense with the line playing poorly. There are no holes for runs. There is no time to throw. New York’s longest play was 11 yards. The Giants averaged 2.6 yards on 73 plays. That’s pathetic.
STOCK UP
To be honest, no one.
STOCK DOWN
Fromm. For a brief moment against Dallas, the former Georgia quarterback gave the impression he had a chance to be a contributor. He excelled in garbage time. In his first NFL start, he looked very much like an inexperienced quarterback playing against a good defense. No doubt his line didn’t help him. But he never helped himself with his legs and his passes were off-target. He finished 6 of 17 for 25 yards and an interception that set up the go-ahead score.
INJURIES
Backup offensive tackle Matt Peart tore an ACL in the first quarter and did not return. He was starting at right tackle with Nate Solder on the COVID-19 list. WR John Ross and DT Danny Shelton also are on the list. DB Julian Love, who shared the team lead in tackles Sunday, was added to the COVID-19 list Monday.
KEY NUMBER
2 — The number of firstround picks the Giants have in the Top 8 in the NFL draft in April. Currently, they have the fifth and eighth picks (Bears). They got the second pick in the deal that allowed Chicago to draft Justin Fields with the No. 11 overall slot earlier this year.
NEXT STEPS
The Giants travel to Chicago on Sunday. OH NO!. Someone has to win, or tie, and that will affect the draft positioning.