VCU men’s basketball removed from NCAA tournament due to COVID-19 protocols

Noah Fleischman, Sports Editor

Men’s basketball’s game against Oregon in the NCAA tournament was called off due to COVID-19 protocols on Saturday, less than three hours before tipoff. The cancellation ends the season for the black and gold.

The Rams, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, had positive tests on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday morning. The positive cases and contact tracing led to the cancelation of the game.

Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin was told by the NCAA that the game would be deemed a no-contest around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Coach Mike Rhoades told the team moments later on the 16th floor of the JW Marriott hallway.  

“It was devastating,” Rhoades said. “It was heartbreaking. No dry eyes.”

The team ate their pregame meal before the game was canceled and players wanted to play, Rhoades said.

“When we had our pregame meal here on the 16th floor, you could see even though we were missing some dudes, guys wanted to play,” Rhoades said. “I guess part of me was saying this wasn’t going to happen. This can’t happen two years in a row.”

The Rams’ season was cut short last year, just before the team’s Atlantic 10 tournament game against UMass. 

https://twitter.com/BizzyBones11/status/1373432026448203779?s=20

Rhoades said he didn’t “sugarcoat” the county health department’s and the NCAA’s decision to not play the game. 

“When you go through stuff like this, the way you’ve got to go through it is together,” Rhoades said. “Went up and down the hallway … made sure the guys heard me, saw me and went from there.”

McLaughlin said he wouldn’t change anything in the Rams’ COVID-19 protocols. 

“It’s hard for our student-athletes, it’s hard for our coaches, who did everything we asked them to do as far as a COVID protocol perspective,” McLaughlin said. “This isn’t something where our team broke protocol and did the wrong thing.”

The Rams are still in Indianapolis, quarantining in the hotel rooms they’ve been in all week since arriving Sunday night. The positive tests are the first positive tests by a VCU player since June, McLaughlin said.

The team is trying to send those in the travel party who did not test positive back to Richmond tonight, according to McLaughlin. Those who tested positive will return to campus via ground transportation. 

VCU had enough players to play the game against Oregon per NCAA protocols, Rhoades said. The NCAA and county health department weren’t comfortable with the game being played and canceled it. 

“As hard as this is right now, it’s still a basketball game,” Rhoades said. “The No. 1 priority for me is to make sure that our guys get healthy and they’re all safe.”

Men’s basketball finished the season 19-7 and Atlantic 10 tournament runner-up.