Yale, SCSU update fan policies; several games rescheduled
Yale has announced home varsity games be held without fans through Thursday.
Men’s basketball against Columbia on Sunday and women’s hockey against Sacred Heart on Tuesday will all compete in their respective sports without fan attendance. Both contests will be streamed live on ESPN+ with the men’s basketball’s game against Columbia airing regionally on NESN+.
Southern Connecticut, which has elected to move to remote operations for the week of Jan. 3, announced it has decided to prohibit spectators from attending events at the James Moore Field House and Hutchinson Natatorium until further notice in working toward the goal of ensuring a normal competition schedule for its student-athletes.
University and athletic department officials will continue to monitor any changes to public health guidelines and adjust accordingly.
Live video for every home contest will be available free-of-charge on The Owls Network, which can be accessed by visiting www.scsuowls.com/theowlsnetwork.
FAIRFIELD, MANHATTAN ANNOUNCE NEW DATE
Following the announcement of the updated MAAC Basketball scheduling policy, the Fairfield men’s basketball program has rescheduled its home game against Manhattan for Feb. 16. The game will tip off at 2 p.m. at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.
All fans who previously purchased tickets for this game — including season ticket holders — will be contacted directly. All tickets purchased for the original Dec. 31 date will be honored.
Fairfield is actively working with Iona to reschedule the game against the Gaels originally slated for Sunday.
QUINNIPAC, PRINCETON HOCKEY RESCHEDULED
ECAC Hockey announced re-scheduled dates for the men’s hockey league series between Princeton and Quinnipiac. The series was originally scheduled for Sunday and Monday. Quinnipiac will host Princeton Jan. 18 at 7 p.m., then travel to Princeton Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets previously purchased for both games will be honored at the re-scheduled games. Both games will air on ESPN+.
SHU-RIT HOCKEY RESCHEDULED
The Atlantic Hockey Association announced the postponed contest between Sacred Heart and RIT has been rescheduled to Jan. 11 and will be played at RIT’s Gene Polisseni Center. Sacred Heart will skate as the home team as the game was originally scheduled to be played Saturday at Webster Bank Arena. No decision has been made at this time on the date or location for the second contest, which was scheduled for Sunday.
YALE, MERRIMACK HOCKEY CANCELED
The Yale Men’s Ice Hockey game against Merrimack scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 1, at 4 p.m. has been canceled for non-COVID reasons.
This contest will not be rescheduled this season.
The Bulldogs, who just returned from Milwaukee’s Holiday Face-Off, are next scheduled to play at Princeton on Jan. 7. Wainright early in the fourth only got Phoenix back within 15, still down 106-91.
MR. CLUTCH
The Celtics held a moment of silence before the game in memory of Sam Jones, a Hall of Famer who died Thursday at age 88. Jones won 10 NBA titles with Boston — second only to teammate Bill Russell — and the Celtics retired his No. 24 in 1969 when he was still an active player.
“Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history,” the team said in a statement.
BIG LEAGUES
The game featured a rookie official in Tyler Mirkovich, one of three G League officials who made their NBA debuts Friday with officiating crews also depleted by COVID-19.
TIP-INS Suns:
C JaVale McGee was also unavailable due to COVID-19 protocols and F/C Frank Kaminsky (right knee) missed his 22nd straight game . ... Booker was called for a technical with five minutes left in the first quarter.
Celtics: Smart returned after missing two games with a cut on his hand. … Boston used only three reserves in the first half, and the trio of Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford and Payton Pritchard combined for 32 points. Langford finished with 16 points and Pritchard scored 11 in the game. … Tatum missed his third straight game and remained on the protocol list with C Bruno Fernando, C Enes Freedom, G C.J. Miles, F Aaron Nesmith and G Dennis Schroder.
UP NEXT
Celtics: Host Orlando on Sunday night.