‘Nightmare’: KU basketball players stunned after NCAA Tournament is canceled
The Kansas men’s basketball team — a unanimous No. 1 in both polls — will not have an opportunity to win the 2020 NCAA championship.
KU’s players learned of that fate on Thursday afternoon, as the NCAA announced March Madness would be canceled.
Many Jayhawks, understandably, were distraught on Twitter.
Point guard Devon Dotson posted, “Nightmare ...” while teammate Tristan Enaruna said, “Love these dudes man. I’m speechless..”
Redshirt forward Mitch Lightfoot added, “Don’t know what to say or think.” Injured guard Jalen Wilson uploaded a team photo of the team posing with the Big 12 trophy in KU’s locker room along with the word: “Unforgettable.”
This all happened so quickly.
Just two hours before, KU’s players and coaches filed onto the team bus at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown around 1 p.m., roughly an hour before the team was to tip off against Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at the Sprint Center.
“What’s up guys?” Self, KU’s 17th-year coach said to a handful of media members, who had gathered to see if Self would comment further on a statement he released after it was announced that the Big 12 Tournament had been called off by commissioner Bob Bowlsby in response to concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Self told The Star the Jayhawks had planned to return to Lawrence and continue practicing in the coming days — ostensibly with the idea there still would be a NCAA Tournament.
“While we are disappointed for the players, it was the right and necessary thing to do,” Self said in a statement, referring to canceling the Big 12 tourney. “As I said yesterday, this is bigger than a sport or championship. I know our medical staff and the NCAA will research all avenues to determine the appropriate steps moving forward.”
Just after that, KU athletic director Jeff Long indefinitely suspended all home and away athletics events as a precaution because of the pandemic. Long also canceled all KU athletic travel indefinitely.
“We will continue to monitor the situation,” Long said then, “and determine the next appropriate steps based on advice from our medical team.”
The cancellation of the Big 12 Tournament had some of the players’ parents and families of KU staff members switching their plans for the week on Thursday.
Lisa Wilson, mother of Jalen, told The Star she was going to attend games Friday and Saturday, but instead remained in her hometown of Denton, Texas. She had a hotel room booked in Oklahoma City on Thursday night and Kansas City for the weekend.
“My heart breaks for the kids,” Wilson said of the KU players, talking about the Big 12 Tournament being canceled. “Jalen is heartbroken of course. Devon (Dotson) is a close friend of his. To see him be so heartbroken ... obviously God willing this could be Devon’s last year (prior to pro career). You want to go out with a bang and not experience this.
“I called (Jalen) earlier. I could hear Devon in the background upset. It’s heartbreaking. They work so hard and it’s gone in the blink of an eye. To think this is Doke’s (Udoka Azubuike’s) senior year and he’s never gotten to play in the Big 12 Tournament, just breaks your heart.”
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Sign upThis story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 1:02 PM with the headline "‘Nightmare’: KU basketball players stunned after NCAA Tournament is canceled."
