Chicago State Cancels Games With Utah Valley Over Coronavirus Concerns
Mar 4, 2020, 1:23 PM
Courtesy of Jay Drowns/Utah Valley Athletics
OREM, Utah – Chicago State canceled its upcoming basketball games with Utah Valley University over travel concerns related to COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus.
Utah Valley was originally scheduled to have its men’s and women’s basketball teams play against the Chicago State Cougars on Saturday, March 7.
Due to concerns related to the coronavirus, Chicago State decided that it would not play the Wolverines. The games were officially canceled on Wednesday, March 4.
Utah Valley said in a statement that “while the canceled games are officially “no-contests” per NCAA guidelines, the WAC has awarded wins to Utah Valley for WAC standings and tournament seeding purposes.”
According to Stadium’s Jeff Goodman, Chicago State told the Western Athletic Conference that in addition to not playing UVU, the Cougars would not travel to Washington to play their scheduled game against the Seattle Redhawks on March 5.
Chicago State has informed the WAC that its men’s basketball team will not play its road games against Seattle University on Thurs. & Utah Valley on Sat. due to the Coronavirus threat, sources told @Stadium. There have been 9 deaths due to the Coronavirus in the Seattle area.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 4, 2020
As of early afternoon on March 4, Washington state had a death toll of 10 people and 31 total cases of coronavirus in Seattle and King County.
Goodman also highlighted that the games were the first Division 1 men’s basketball contests canceled due to the coronavirus.
We now have the first Division 1 men’s basketball game canceled due to the Coronavirus, source told @Stadium.
Chicago State will not play its game tomorrow at Seattle University and Sat. at Utah Valley due to the threat. There have been 9 Coronavirus deaths in the Seattle area.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 4, 2020
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The Cougars’ men’s basketball team is 4-25 this season and is in ninth place in the Western Athletic Conference standings.
Chicago State’s women’s basketball team is 1-26 overall and 1-13 in WAC games this season. They sit in last place in the conference standings.
The Wolverines’ women’s team is 12-14 overall this season and 9-5 in conference play. They are in third place in the WAC. The women’s team will travel to Kansas City to play the Roos on Thursday, March 5 at 5 p.m. (MDT).
Utah Valley’s men’s basketball team owns an 11-18 record on the season and is currently in 8th place in the WAC. The men’s team will host the Roos at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, March 5 at 7 p.m. (MDT).
