The Big Ten and almost every other NCAA conference halted the remainder of their tournaments on Thursday, the latest in a string of cancellations across the American sports landscape.
The Big Ten made its announcement just 15 minutes before its first game of the day was set to tip off.
Those that followed suit included the ACC, SEC, Big 12, American Athletic Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference, America East, Big Sky, Big West, Conference USA, MAC, Pac-12, Southland, Sun Belt, SWAC and WAC.
The Big East allowed its first game of the day, Creighton vs. St. John’s, to tip off. At halftime, the conference called off the rest of the tournament.
Conferences that still hadn’t made a decision as of Thursday afternoon were the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The ACC, like the Big Ten and others, called off its remaining games as some teams were warming up and preparing to play. ACC commissioner John Swofford made the announcement on the court in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“It’s tough to say those words for these young men on the floor that would be continuing to play,” Swofford said.
Swofford said that there is still hope that the NCAA Tournament won’t be called off, but could not guarantee it.
These cancellations were made by the individual conferences, not the NCAA, but it nonetheless points to the increasing likelihood that the national men’s and women’s tournaments will be called off as well.
Big Ten announces #B1GTourney has been canceled.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) March 12, 2020
BREAKING: The AAC tournament is going to be cancelled, per a source. First domino to fall.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) March 12, 2020
ALERT: Based on the latest developments and the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Southeastern Conference today announced the cancellation of the remainder of the 2020 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Nashville.
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) March 12, 2020
The ACC Tournament has been cancelled, per release.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 12, 2020
Pac-12 also cancelled.
— Heather Dinich (@CFBHeather) March 12, 2020
The Maryland Terrapins were the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and had not left for the tournament in Indianapolis as of Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, the NCAA announced that the national tournament games would be played in empty arenas, sans fans.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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