The NCAA announced on Tuesday that five positive COVID-19 cases have been identified from 2,300 tests done so far this week ahead of the NCAA Tournament. Those tested so far include members of the team’s travel parties – not just players and coaches – as well as NCAA officials. The score of five is less than the positive identified on Monday.
Dan Gavitt, senior vice president of basketball at the NCAA, reiterated because of the breadth of those tested, that it should not be assumed that the positive tests come from players or coaches.
“No assumption should be made about individuals, or even any groups, because the overall test numbers include both official travel parties of the teams as well as working staff and committee members,” Gavitt said.
In addition, Gavitt said tournament officials do not expect one of the four replacement teams to be needed for assistance if a team has to drop out due to COVID-19.
“We do not expect it now,” Gavitt said Thursday afternoon. “But again, we are living in a pandemic. So we take things day by day, and even hour by hour. But fortunately we are not aware of situations that could lead to a replacement team coming in.”
Later, Tuesday’s 18-hour Eastern deadline for the election of a replacement team is passed without Louisville, the top replacement team, being contacted, a source told Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. Since no teams were forced to withdraw from the tournament, it is essentially ‘lock’.
Gavitt confirmed that 67 of the 68 tournament teams showed up, with Virginia as the only exception. The Cavaliers were forced to withdraw from the ACC tournament last week due to a positive COVID-19 case, but they are expected to arrive in time to complete the necessary protocols to play their first round game on Saturday night against Ohio.
The Cavaliers plan to arrive in Indianapolis on Friday, but Tier 1 staff must register seven consecutive negative Tests before they arrive. Once on site, Level 1 staff must register two more consecutive negative tests on separate days before leaving quarantine. The timeline will mean that Virginia staff members who undertake the trip will be quarantined for a while within the hours ahead of their scheduled 7:15 ET tips Saturday against Ohio.