K-State basketball taking extra precautions against COVID as Big 12 play begins at OU
As basketball games across the country get canceled and postponed at a dizzying rate, there is no guarantee that any of Kansas State’s remaining 19 contests will be played as originally scheduled.
But coach Bruce Weber is doing everything within his power to make sure the Wildcats won’t be the ones to blame if any of their upcoming games are affected by COVID issues.
The K-State men’s basketball team entered the season with a 100% vaccination rate, but Weber has been urging his players to get booster shots now that COVID cases are spiking around the world. He is confident the entire roster will have had one within the next week, just in time for the Wildcats to embark on an always-challenging journey through the Big 12 portion of their schedule.
Throw in some extra precautions and Weber is crossing his fingers that K-State won’t experience any major problems like it did last year during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Over the last few days we have gone back to watching video out on the court to stay separated,” Weber said. “The only meals we have been eating in restaurants is when we can get a private room, otherwise we have food delivered. We’re trying to be as smart as we can. We encourage masks.”
The Wildcats are particularly wary of COVID issues after they lost a game with Morgan State earlier this week, only to replace that opponent with North Florida — and then lose that matchup, too.
North Florida flew its team all the way to Manhattan on Tuesday and practiced inside Bramlage Coliseum, expecting to play the Wildcats on Wednesday. But one player on the Ospreys’ traveling roster tested positive for COVID the morning of the game and too many of his healthy teammates were deemed close contacts to proceed.
So the team boarded a commercial flight home to the Sunshine State instead of playing K-State.
The Wildcats responded by simulating a game during practice and then turning their attention to their Big 12 opener at Oklahoma at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
It won’t be an easy game. The Sooners, now coached by Porter Moser, are off to a 10-3 start and own impressive victories over Florida and Arkansas.
Playing Oklahoma on 10 days of rest might be a challenge. But the Sooners haven’t played since Dec. 22. Both teams may have some rust to shake off in this one.
The good news for K-State: At the moment, the Wildcats’ roster is completely healthy.
“But every day is a new experience,” Weber said. “We have not had much luck. It seems like something happens all the time, whether it was Davion (Bradford) with pneumonia, Nijel (Pack) being out, Selton (Miguel) being out and Mike (McGuirl) out.
“I wish we could get some continuity, but there’s nothing you can do about it. I just hope we can keep everyone healthy on the court.”