Photo: @marchmadness

It’s a situation everyone hoped wouldn’t happen but it has already happened in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA announced that because of COVID-19 protocols, it was determined between the NCAA and the Marion County Public Health Department that the matchup between 7 seed Oregon and 10 seed VCU will be ruled a “no-contest” and Oregon will advance.

“The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee has declared the VCU-Oregon game scheduled for Saturday night at Indiana Farmers Coliseum a no-contest because of COVID-19 protocols. This decision was made in consultation with the Marion County Public Health Department. As a result, Oregon will advance to the next round of the tournament. The NCAA and the committee regret that VCU’s student-athletes and coaching staff will not be able to play in a tournament in which they earned the right to participate. Because of privacy issues we cannot provide further details.”

CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander Tweeted that a source told CBS Sports that VCU had a positive test on Wednesday, then two more on Friday night, and that got the Marion County Public Health Department to come in and determine with the NCAA that it was “too risky” to play.

 

With the win, Oregon will advance and take on the winner of 2 seed Iowa and 15 seed Grand Canyon.

[Photo: @marchmadness]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

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