Iowa women cancel games for COVID fears
The No. 8-ranked Iowa women’s team canceled a game against Drake Sunday and won’t travel to the Cancun Challenge tournament because of positive COVID-19 tests in the program, the school announced Friday night.
The school’s news release didn’t specify whether the tests were athletes, staff or both, and also didn’t specify how many people had tested positive. A spokesperson didn’t immediately return a request for details.
“We’re obviously disappointed but understand this is the right decision,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said in the news release. “Our team and staff have followed best practices. But unfortunately, a number of individuals experienced symptoms and tested positive.”
It appears to be the first COVID-19 cancellation in college basketball this season. The Nov. 13 Southern California-California football game was postponed because of an outbreak for the Bears, and Drake football canceled a game in late October.
Iowa is off to a 4-0 start this season.
More Top 25 women
N.C. State 90, Kansas State 69: Elissa Cunane had 18 points and six rebounds as No. 5 N.C. State pulled away from Kansas State. Diamond Johnson had 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Wolfpack (4-1), and Raina Perez and Kayla Jones each scored 12 points.
Top 25 men
Kentucky 77, Ohio 59: Keion Brooks scored 22 points to lead No. 13 Kentucky to a 77-59 win over Ohio on Friday night. Freshman guard TyTy Washington had a career-high 20 points and 11 rebounds for Kentucky (3-1), which trailed for most of the first half.
Maryland 69, Hofstra 67: Ian Martinez made two free throws with 4.2 seconds remaining, allowing No. 20 Maryland to edge visiting Hofstra and avoid another loss this week. Eric Ayala led Maryland (4-1) with 14 points but went just 5 of 17 from the field. Jalen Ray scored 18 points for Hofstra (1-3).
Auburn 58, South Florida 52: K.D. Johnson scored 15 points, Zep Jasper added 13 and No. 21 Auburn rallied to beat host South Florida.
Jabari Smith hit a 3-pointer 10 minutes into the second half during a 15-0 stretch that gave Auburn (3-0) its first lead at 42-40. It was the third made 3-pointer by Auburn in 21 tries to that point.
St. Bonaventure 68, Clemson 65: Kyle Lofton scored 22 points, Jaren Holmes added 19 and No. 22 St. Bonaventure rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat Clemson in the semifinals of the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. The Bonnies (4-0) went on a 21-2 second-half run that included five 3-pointers in taking their first lead since it was 2-0.