Kansas has withdrawn from the Big 12 men’s basketball tournament after a positive COVID-19 test, the school announced Friday.
The Jayhawks would face Texas in the Big 12 semifinals on Friday; the Longhorns advance to the championship game to play the Baylor-Oklahoma state winner.
Kansas big men David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna missed the Big 12 tournament because of the COVID-19 protocols, although coach Bill Self did not specify whether either player tested positive for the virus or was out due to contact tracking. Neither player traveled with the team to Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas remains in Kansas City and is further tested daily in accordance with NCAA tournament protocols.
“We are clearly disappointed and our players are disappointed that they cannot continue to compete for the Big 12 Championship,” said Self. “While we are lucky enough to avoid this all season, there are daily risks with this virus that everyone who takes part tries to avoid. We have followed the daily tests and additional protocols set up for us, unfortunately we have a bad one. “Breaking the wrong time. I look forward to preparing my team in what is likely a unique way for next week’s NCAA tournament.”
Kansas is the fourth team in the past two days to withdraw from a conference tournament due to COVID-19 issues, after Duke and Virginia in the ACC and No. 1 seed North Carolina A&T in the MEAC.
Virginia and Kansas were still able to play in the NCAA tournament, despite having to show seven consecutive days of negative tests. Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president of men’s basketball, has said that a team only needs five healthy players to play in an NCAA tournament game. If neither the Cavaliers nor Jayhawks have a widespread COVID-19 outbreak and the rest of the team continues to test negative, both teams may be eligible to enter the NCAA tournament.
Virginia coach Tony Bennett said earlier Friday that the Cavaliers are “exhausting all options to enter the NCAA tournament.”