COVID-19 knocks Virginia out of ACC tournament; NCAA tournament status 'to be determined'
Virginia will not play Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament.
The conference announced Friday morning that the Cavaliers' semifinal game vs. the Yellow Jackets had been canceled because of a COVID-19 positive test for No. 16 Virginia. The cancellation means that Georgia Tech will play the winner of Florida State and North Carolina for the ACC title on Saturday.
The ACC said that the Florida State-North Carolina game would be played at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday because of the Virginia-Georgia Tech cancellation.
The Cavaliers, who beat Syracuse in the quarterfinals on Friday with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, are the second team to pull out of the ACC tournament because of a positive COVID-19 test. Duke bowed out of the tournament on Thursday morning after a player who didn't play on Wednesday tested positive.
The positive test at Duke caused the school to end its season. Virginia's situation, however, is a bit different. It went 18-6 overall, and 13-4 in the ACC. The Cavaliers are likely to be a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament. But now, suddenly, their participation is up in the air.
"Virginia's status for the NCAA tournament is to be determined," the program said in a statement early Friday afternoon.
A variety of protocols and factors, including contact tracing and subsequent testing, will determine whether the Cavs can partake in March Madness.
"I’m hurting for our players, especially our seniors," head coach Tony Bennett said in a statement. "We are exhausting all options to participate in the NCAA Tournament.”
And athletic director Carla Williams: "... We have turned our attention to the NCAA Tournament. We are in communication with the appropriate officials regarding our participation.”
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