This time last year, NCAA men’s basketball saw its conference tournaments and then its biggest moneymaker, the national men’s basketball tournament, canceled due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, it was not clear how contagious the disease would turn out to be – or how deadly, so the initial response throughout the world of sport was to put competition on pause. A year later, we have seen the pandemic cause a considerable number of postponements and cancellations in team schedules, and we also saw teams like Duke have to shut down their season before their conference tournament due to positive cases. For the most part, though, the sport has moved on, pushing through as much of a normal season as possible.
As you consider your college basketball betting for the tournament, don’t miss the latest COVID-19 updates.
NCAA News: March 18 COVID-19 Update
Oklahoma guard De’Vion Harmon out for two games
After testing positive for COVID-19, Harmon will sit out the first two games of the Sooners’ run in March Madness. A 6’2” sophomore, Harmon started in 23 of the Sooners’ 25 games and is the second-leading scorer on the roster, putting up 12.9 points per game. He has shot 33 percent from behind the arc and has also chipped in 2.1 assists per game. He finished well in the regular season, putting up 23 in a setback against Oklahoma State and 18 against Iowa State in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament.
The Sooners are likely to respond with Alondes Williams, a senior forward, in Harmon’s slot in the starting lineup, making Oklahoma’s lineup bigger. Williams started for 14 games to open the season before having to sit for three games due to COVID-19 protocols. He came in off the bench for the last eight games of the season. Oklahoma starts with Missouri in the first round and, should they win, would most likely advance to play Gonzaga in the second round.
Seven players test positive for COVID-19 overall
As of the end of the day Wednesday, the NCAA had issued 6,900 COVID-19 tests – and just seven players had come back with positive results. That makes a positivity rate of approximately 0.1%, well below local and national positivity rates. Given the fact that so many teams have traveled to Indiana for the tournament, that low of a positivity rate is an accomplishment. All players had to test negative for seven consecutive days before traveling to Indianapolis, and daily testing will continue. Even with the seven positive tests, no teams have had to withdraw as of this writing.
Kansas will miss two players to start the tournament
Starting forward Jalen Wilson and reserve Tristan Enaruna will have to sit for at least one game due to COVID-19 testing. The Jayhawks open against Eastern Washington and will have David McCormack back patrolling the paint for that game.
Cormack had been out due to COVID-19 protocols but is cleared to travel to Indianapolis on Friday. Should the Jayhawks stave off the upset, they could have Wilson back for the Monday game, the second round. Wilson could play Monday if he continues to test negative, but Enaruna, who had a positive test on Sunday night, could not return until the Sweet 16 round at the earliest, should Kansas continue in the tournament.
Kansas had to drop out of the Big 12 Tournament after McCormack’s positive test. His roommate, Emaruna, became unavailable because of contact tracing regulations. McCormack has reported that he feels well, but due to his self isolation, the team does not yet know how close McCormack will be to game shape when he shows up in Indianapolis on Friday. When Kansas takes the floor against Eastern Washington, it will be their first action in nine days; they have avoided some of the lengthy shutdowns that have plagued many of the nation’s other teams. For now, though, the Jayhawks are glad to be in the Big Dance.
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