Wichita State basketball out of tournament after ‘multiple’ positive COVID-19 tests
The Wichita State men’s basketball team’s stay in South Dakota was a short one.
After flying to Sioux Falls on Monday afternoon in preparation for the season-opening, three-day Crossover Classic beginning on Wednesday, WSU had several members of its traveling team test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival.
The news was first reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein and confirmed by The Wichita Eagle on Monday evening. The Shockers were scheduled to play Utah State at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and will be replaced by VCU in the eight-team tournament, according to Rothstein.
According to a source in the athletic department, WSU last tested its team on Sunday and had one positive COVID-19 test. That team member was held back from the trip to South Dakota on Monday.
But doctors during the coronavirus pandemic have stressed that an initial negative test doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a person is not positive for COVID-19. That was the case in this situation, as multiple positive COVID-19 tests popped up upon WSU’s arrival to the Sanford Pentagon just two days later.
According to a WSU release, the Shockers will return to Wichita on Tuesday. Separate travel arrangements have been made to safely transport infected personnel and any close contacts.
WSU had been ramping up its COVID-19 testing efforts, testing three times per week as the season neared. The university was able to get results in a two-hour turnaround time.
It is likely that the entire program will be forced to quarantine for the next 14 days, meaning the Shockers couldn’t congregate together again until Dec. 7 — and that cancellations are possible for home games against Oral Roberts (Dec. 2) and Missouri (Dec. 6).
According to WSU’s release, an official decision to cancel next week’s home games has not yet been made. WSU will follow the recommendation from its medical personnel.
It’s possible that WSU’s first game of the season would be Saturday, Dec. 12 against Oklahoma State at Koch Arena. That would leave WSU with just two nonconference games and 22 games total on its schedule.
This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 8:29 PM.
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