Friday's 5:00 pm game between UNI and Drake has been cancelled due to Covid protocol

[Da Coach]

The game between UNI and Drake that was scheduled for 5:08 pm tonight (Friday, 3/5) has been cancelled. The only announcement given so far is "due to Covid protocol.

[Da Coach]

If you are wondering why you can't find the Drake-UNI game on TV, despite it was scheduled to start at 5:08 pm... apparently the game has been cancelled due to Covid protocol. No clarification has been given yet. Someone from one of the two teams must have had a positive test.
Apparently, Drake came onto the floor for a shootaround, but the UNI team has not been seen. That would suggest it is UNI that either has a positive test or has somehow violated the Covid protocols.

[Da Coach]

Here is a bit more info-
https://twitter.com/trentcondon/stat...77555689672709

This source reports that a UNI player has tested positive, however, I cannot vouch for the veracity of this tweet.
The 5:00 pm game between UNI and Drake will not be played. The MVC has probably got a plan to deal with things like this, but there hasn't been any announcement what action will be taken. If this is true, will they eliminate UNI and advance Drake without playing the game? Or is there some other solution?

[Da Coach]

The MVC has just announced their solution to this dilemma.... Drake will advance to the semifinals, and UNI is eliminated.
So Drake gets a double-bye and does not have to play anyone until their semifinal matchup on Saturday at 3 pm against the winner of the upcoming Missouri State-Valparaiso game, scheduled to start at 8:08 pm.

[Da Coach]

The MVC has still not released an official statement to the press, but the teams have been told that Drake will be advanced, and UNI eliminated. The official statement is reportedly being prepared and will be posted soon.

And, the MVC just tweeted this-
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/stat...80893630062595

Still no word about what Covid rule was violated or who tested positive, though it affects UNI and not Drake.

[BUSongwriter]

How disappointing for UNI and their fans. I'm sure they thought they had a shot at beating depleted Drake and advancing. And I don't know how many people travelled to STL from Iowa for this game, but what a waste of time and money, even assuming they get a game refund.

I can see this either helping or hurting the Bulldogs' NCAA tourney hopes. At least one win in St. Louis is certainly necessary for any Drake hopes. If Missouri State is their first opponent, that's a tougher first contest. It helps because they'll be fresher for both potential games. I'm pulling for the Bulldogs to get in.

What a crazy year.

[braves16]

.
@realColeBair
reported a few minutes ago during his radio show on
@1650KCNZ
that 2 sources close to UNI Men's Basketball program told him that it looks to be a false positive. We still have not seen a full statement from MVC leadership regarding the cancellation.
@ChrisMWilliams

[Da Coach]

How disappointing for UNI and their fans.....
What a crazy year.

It might be even more disappointing and crazy if this report is true-
The UNI beat writer for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Cole Bair has reportedly said on his radio show tonight that he's heard from 2 sources close to the basketball program that the positive test "might be a false positive".
https://twitter.com/BettsSportsBeat/...86466962497536

I cannot find anyone else reporting this. But if this turns out to be true, it is truly tragic that a team might be eliminated based on a false positive test.
It is strange that, other than a single tweet about an hour ago, the Missouri Valley Conference still has not released any official statement.

Here is a video of the Enterprise Center employee who had the job of stepping outside the arena and explaining to the fans waiting outside with tickets that there would be no game.
https://twitter.com/brianmmunoz/stat...74890519859203

[Da Coach]

Still no official announcement by the MVC 1½ after the game was cancelled.
However, the radio play-by-play announcer for UNI is reporting a bit more information.
He reports that it was a Covid-related issue involving a "tier 1" individual(s) on UNI and that it was local officials in St. Louis that determined what would happen in the event of a positive test
https://twitter.com/oprsportsguy/sta...01071466086400

[bigjimmy]

Rumors from UNI's camp is the Covid test might be a false positive. That would really suck if that's true

[Da Coach]

It only took about 2½ hours, but finally the MVC has released their official statement regarding the Drake-UNI game-
https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/stat...07799502946304

Local health officials did contact tracing after the positive test was known, and there were not enough UNI players available to field a team after the city completed contact tracing and eliminated those affected.

[bigjimmy]

Both Missouri State and Valpo are on the floor practicing

[bigjimmy]

A rare misstep by Doug Elgin and the league.

[Da Coach]

UNI head coach Ben Jacobson was asked in a press conference today whether Friday's positive test that cancelled the UNI-Drake quarterfinal game was possibly a false positive. He replied, "With everything I know now, the game should've been played."
https://twitter.com/Dargan_Southard/...86243594346497

Coach Jacobson also added, "Anyone who advocated for the game not being played made a huge mistake."
https://twitter.com/Dargan_Southard/...87373833437187

Apparently, there is new information that has emerged-
Ben Jacobson on disappointment level following Arch Madness cancellation: "I thought it was high at 4:30 (on Friday) when I got the news. It's even higher now."
https://twitter.com/Dargan_Southard/...88385520607237


It sounds like he is trying to be careful with his words, but it suggests that the positive test may have been either an error or a false positive, and that is just being confirmed today.

[Da Coach]

Here is a more complete explanation of what happened leading up to the cancellation of the UNI-Drake game, and the elimination of UNI-

https://wcfcourier.com/sports/college/uni/mens_basketball/the-game-shouldve-been-played-unis-ben-jacobson-questions-decision-to-cancel-mvc-quarterfinal/article_727bad58-b9de-56e1-a8c0-ec0759b0f8f8.html

Interesting reference to a similar issue with a Bradley player testing positive:
Jacobson also addressed why Bradley was allowed to play its tournament game on Thursday after a positive test. In that case, the Braves’ player had a confirmed positive in the previous 120 days and his positive came up negative on the second platform which meant the tests were picking up some residual and Bradley was able to move on and say he already had the virus.

And Jacobson has a few valid complaints. He noted that the MVC chose not to provided enough space for each team to distance themselves from other teammates when that could easily have been done. It might have reduced the time the team members were close enough to the player with the positive test to be required to quarantine.
“To think we would go into the Valley tournament and not have bigger space available so our guys could distance when we are there for pregame and halftime, so they are not racking up Kinexon minutes -- just the communication, planning and organization of that part -- to fathom that we would do it during the course of the year but then go to the tournament and not have the same room available.”

Jacobson also questioned why the player with the positive test was not re-tested to see if it was a "false positive". It was only when the UNI team tested the player themselves that they found that the second test was negative. But by then, it was too late and the decision had been made to cancel.
Jacobson said, “There should’ve been one more step. This is the only conference tournament we get to play. So to end it right there and say that is it, should not have been on their list of protocols. “Whomever set that up, whatever conversations they had, that shouldn’t have been the end. The next step should’ve been okay, let’s test him again to confirm the positive.

And I have one other obvious question- why are they still using a testing method that does not get the results until hours later or the following day? The UNI tests were run after their win over Illinois State Thursday night, and the positive result was reported Friday morning. The decision to cancel the game was then made based on that positive test plus the results of the digital Kinexon contact tracing. UNI did their own second test, and it came back negative, but by then it was too late. There are now very reliable tests that produce results in 20 minutes or less that would have cleared up the uncertainty and may have allowed the game to be played.

[Tommy]

Gotta say, I 100% agree with Jacobson. Travesty.