The NCAA tournament lost its first game to the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday night.
The NCAA ruled that No. 7 Oregon’s first-round matchup with No. 10 VCU will be considered a no-contest due to “COVID-19 protocols.” The announcement came just hours before the two programs were set to tip at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
The decision now means that Oregon will advance to the second round of the tournament. The NCAA did not elaborate on what coronavirus issues VCU was dealing with specifically.
“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," the NCAA said in a statement.