Virginia men’s basketball out of ACC tournament after COVID-19 positive; Georgia Tech to final

One day after the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team exited the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament due to a positive coronavirus test within the program, a second ACC program has suffered the same fate.

The conference announced Friday’s semifinal matchup between the Virginia Cavaliers and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets has been canceled due to “a positive test, subsequent quarantining, and contact tracing” within the Virginia program.

Georgia Tech will advance to the tournament final Saturday and face the winner of Florida State vs. North Carolina. That semifinal remains scheduled for Friday and will now tip off at 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.

OPINION:  Duke's loss to COVID-19 puts other tournament teams on warning

The Cavaliers, with head coach Tony Bennett, were benched by a positive COVID-19 test. (Photo: Nell Redmond, USA TODAY Sports)

Top-seeded Virginia — a four seed in the East region according to USA TODAY Sports' latest bracketology — battled No. 8 Syracuse in the quarterfinals Wednesday and won 72-69 on a buzzer-beater three-pointer by freshman Reece Beekman. The Cavaliers most recently won the conference tournament in 2018 and are the defending NCAA Tournament champions. 

Although Duke, a presumed bubble team, said it would end its season following its exit from the ACC tournament, the Cavaliers may have time before making such a decision. All entering the NCAA Tournament March Madness bubble in Indiana this month must have five players test negative seven days in a row before arrival. 

CBS Sports reported that a player who was positive played during Thursday's game against Syracuse. The Orange, already on the committee's bubble, will be watching to see if they evaded the virus. Teams selected for March Madness can play with as few as five players, if necessary. 

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.

Source: Read Full Article