Gonzaga and Baylor Game Cancelled

The Gonzaga Bulldogs and Baylor Bears will not be playing afterwards. The two teams met and mutually decided to cancel the games after consultation with the Indiana State Health Commissioner.

Gonzaga and Baylor released the following joint statement:

Joint statement from Baylor and Gonzaga basketball programs:

Following surveillance testing for COVID-19, one student-athlete and one non-student-athlete of the Gonzaga men’s basketball travel party produced positive results. The student-athlete did not play in Wednesday’s game against West Virginia. In consultation with the Indiana State Health Commissioner, the Marion County Public Health Director, and both team physicians, Gonzaga and Baylor have mutually agreed today’s game will not be played. Both teams have agreed to attempt to reschedule the game at a later date.

Joint statement from Baylor head coach Scott Drew and Gonzaga head coach Mark Few:

We’re disappointed to not be able to play one of the most-anticipated games of the season, but we are following the advice of public health officials. When we decided to play during a pandemic, our priorities were protecting the health and safety of student-athletes and following public health guidelines, and we’re proud of how both programs have held true to those promises. There are much greater issues in this world than not being able to play a basketball game, so we’re going to continue praying for everyone who has been affected by this pandemic.

Obviously, on a basketball level, this is a disappointment for the morning. On a safety level, the news isn’t that surprising. The Zags played against the Auburn Tigers despite a positive test on the roster, but they did so in consultation with local health officials. In consultation with different local health officials and more positive cases, the outcome was different.

The two teams will try and reschedule, although that remains to be something that is probably easier said than done, with conference play about to start for the Bears.