The Latest: Boston College ends season, no bowl game
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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Boston College has opted out of playing in a bowl game.
Coach Jeff Hafley said on Thursday that after speaking with his players the team decided to end its season.
The Eagles managed to make it through the entire season with just one positive COVID-19 test and played all 11 games on the schedule. But Hafley said the season has been a strain on the players.
“I wish we could play every Saturday,” Hafley said. “But I don’t have to sit in a dorm room by myself.”
The Eagles went 6-5, and 5-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference to qualify for a postseason game for the fifth straight year. But the shuffling of the schedules has left everyone on edge.
Athletic director Pat Kraft said he was concerned that the players would spend another three weeks away from their families with no guarantee that the bowl game would actually kick off.
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Citing a surge of positive COVID-19 cases and contact tracing in the football program, West Virginia has paused all football activities for the next seven days and will not host No. 13 Oklahoma on Saturday.
Athletic director Shane Lyons says the game will not be rescheduled. The next game for the Sooners (7-2) will instead be the Big 12 championship game against No. 10 Iowa State (8-2) in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 19.
“Our intent is to get this spread under control as soon as possible for the health and safety of all involved,” Lyons said. “We are beyond disappointed not to play our final home game of the season and honor our seniors, but we need to act now and reevaluate our situation after Dec. 17.”
In the Mid-American Conference, Miami (Ohio)’s game at Bowling Green was also canceled Thursday.
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The NBA says eight more players have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total so far this season to 56.
Of those, the first 48 tested positive in the league’s initial return-to-market testing phase that went from Nov. 24 through Dec. 1. Those tests showed a leaguewide positivity rate of about 9%.
The next eight came from a batch of 541 players tested in the week that began Dec. 2. For that span, the positivity rate was just under 1.5%.
Preseason games across the NBA begin Friday and the regular season is scheduled to begin with two games on Dec. 22.
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The Chicago Bears have canceled practice and closed their facility Thursday because of a positive COVID-19 test.
The person who tested positive has been notified and is self-isolating.
The Bears placed three practice squad players on the COVID list this week — linebacker Manti Te’o, defensive lineman LaCale London and receiver Thomas Ives. Coach Matt Nagy said the team did not think the latest positive test was related to those cases.
“Obviously we’re not exempt from this pandemic,” Nagy said. “We all know that cases are on the rise. And I just want to credit our players and coaches for adapting and staying flexible. It’s not easy. But we have the right mindset.”
Chicago is scheduled to host the Houston Texans on Sunday. The Bears (5-7) have lost six in a row, their worst skid since the 2002 team tied a franchise record by dropping eight straight.
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South Carolina has called off its men’s basketball game at George Washington on Monday because of a positive COVID-19 test.
The team paused activities Tuesday and canceled a home game with Wofford scheduled for Thursday. The school said the earliest the team could resume activities was Dec. 16 and only if there are no further positive tests between now and then.
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Georgia has canceled its women’s basketball game against Radford because of a positive COVID-19 test within the Highlanders’ program.
The Lady Bulldogs (5-0) were scheduled to host Radford (0-2) on Saturday at Stegeman Coliseum. The Highlanders last played Sunday. They lost to Marshall 69-58.
Georgia has no plans to schedule a replacement game.
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