BYU Basketball To Begin Season With No Fans; Team Family Members Can Attend

PROVO, Utah – Who knew this past March that the novel Coronavirus pandemic would be impacting a second BYU basketball season, but that’s where things stand as tip-off approaches for the 2020-21 season.

To begin the season, BYU basketball will not have fans in attendance at the Marriott Center. Only players’ and coaches’ families will be permitted to attend home games to begin the 2020-21 home schedule.

This is a similar approach to what BYU Athletics has incorporated for BYU Football. The athletic department announced earlier this week that the home football game against North Alabama would not have fans in attendance. Still, family members of the players and coaches will be allowed to attend at LaVell Edwards Stadium. No determination has been made on the number of fans who will attend the home football game against San Diego State next month on Dec. 12.

The same goes for home BYU basketball games as there has been no decision on attendance for games after the beginning of the season. BYU plans to work closely with the Utah Department of Health to support the state of Utah’s increased measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.

BYU opens up the 2020-21 season on Nov. 25 against Westminster College, followed by a home tilt with New Orleans the following day on Thanksgiving, and then a crosstown clash against Utah Valley on Nov. 28.

Last season, BYU basketball finished 24-8 and ended the year ranked No. 18 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Top 25 polls.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.