Chicago State’s men’s basketball not traveling due to virus

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago State University men’s basketball group will not journey for 2 commonly scheduled Western Athletic Conference video games this week, and its ladies’s group will not host two video games, the college mentioned late Tuesday, citing the unfold of the coronavirus.

The college mentioned in an announcement that it was making the transfer with the “well being and well-being of the campus neighborhood in thoughts.”

The cancellations are believed to be the primary by a serious sport within the United States due to the virus.

The college mentioned the men’s group would not journey to Seattle University in Washington or Utah Valley University for WAC video games on Thursday and Saturday. The college additionally mentioned the ladies’s group would not host Seattle or Utah Valley on the campus’ Jones Convocation Center on the identical days.

“Chicago State athletics views our resolution as a reaffirmation of our dedication to the well-being, well being and security of our pupil athletes,” Chicago State athletic director Elliott Charles mentioned within the assertion.

The Western Athletic Conference and Seattle declined to remark about Chicago State’s resolution.

Worldwide, greater than 93,000 individuals have been contaminated and over 3,100 have died, the overwhelming majority of them in China. The variety of nations hit by the virus exceeded 70.

Virus clusters within the United States led colleges and subways to sanitize and unfold fears amongst nursing house residents, who’re particularly weak. The variety of the infections within the U.S. topped 100 and the demise toll climbed to 9. All of the deaths had been in Washington state, and most of them had been residents of a Seattle-area nursing house.

Chicago State mentioned it is usually evaluating whether or not to attend subsequent week’s WAC match in Las Vegas. The college mentioned it might decide about participation later this week. The college additionally mentioned it’s reviewing journey plans for intercollegiate sports activities groups.

Chicago State men’s basketball group is 0-14 in WAC play and 4-25 total this season. The ladies’s group is 1-13 in convention and 1-26 total.

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Associated Press Sports Writer Tim Booth in Washington contributed to this report.

Published 04 Mar 2020, 17:21 IST