UVa’s Kihei Clark (center) looks to pass as Virginia Tech’s Wabissa Bede (left) and Tyrece Radford defend in UVa’s win in Blacksburg last year. The teams’ meeting Saturday has been postponed.
CDP Virginia coach Tony Bennett directs his team at John Paul Jones Arena this season. UVa’s game Saturday against Virginia Tech has been postponed because of COVID-19 issues in the UVa program.
Virginia’s Kihei Clark (left) shoots the winning 3-pointer over Virginia Tech’s Jalen Cone in the final seconds of UVa’s win in Blacksburg last year. The teams’ meeting Saturday has been postponed.
Virginia Tech’s Wabissa Bede (left) passes while being guarded by Virginia’s Jay Huff in the Hokies’ home loss to UVa last year. The teams’ meeting Saturday has been postponed.
The latest chapter in the Virginia Tech-Virginia men’s basketball rivalry will not take place Saturday after all.
The ACC and the two schools announced Friday that the game in Charlottesville has been postponed because of a positive COVID-19 test of a UVa men’s basketball staff member and subsequent quarantining and contact tracing within the UVa program.
The No. 24 Hokies (8-1, 2-0 ACC) and the No. 23 Cavaliers (5-2, 1-0) were supposed to square off on an ACC Network telecast.
This is the second time the Virginia men’s basketball team has had COVID-19 issues.
UVa announced Dec. 8 that it could not play Michigan State the following day because of COVID-19 issues within the UVa program. UVa announced Dec. 9 it was going on a COVID-19 pause, forcing the postponement of a Dec. 13 game with William and Mary and the cancellation of a Dec. 19 game with Villanova. Virginia returned to practice Dec. 19 and played William and Mary three days later.
The Cavaliers lost to Gonzaga last weekend and won at Notre Dame on Wednesday. They are scheduled to host Wake Forest next Wednesday.
The Hokies are now off until they visit Louisville next Wednesday.
Virginia’s women’s basketball team also has COVID-19 issues. UVa had to postpone its Dec. 29 game with the Hokies and a game scheduled for Sunday against second-ranked Louisville.
Mark Berman
Mark Berman covers Virginia Tech men’s basketball and many other teams at the university. He also helps cover other colleges, including Radford, VMI, Roanoke, Washington and Lee and Ferrum.
