COLUMBUS, Ohio — In what was supposed to be a marquee nonconference matchup, the Ohio State University men’s basketball program canceled this Saturday’s game against Kentucky due to COVID-19 cases within the OSU program. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio State’s men’s basketball program canceled its upcoming game against Kentucky citing COVID-19 cases within the program

  • The matchup is among one of several in sports canceled or postponed due to the pandemic

  • The cancelations come amid a surge of cases in recent days in the state of Ohio

  • Ohio State University students face a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that offer a limited set of exemptions

The matchup would have been a Top 25 battle between the No. 15 Buckeyes and No. 21 Wildcats. The game was scheduled to be played in Las Vegas as part of the CBS Sports Classic. 

The cancellation was among one of several affecting teams in Ohio. Cleveland State University’s men’s basketball team canceled its matchup this weekend against No. 2 Duke due to cases within the Cleveland State program.

Hockey has also been affected as the Columbus Blue Jackets had their upcoming game against Calgary postponed due to cases within the Flames’ organization. Also, a slated American Hockey League matchup between Cleveland and Utica was postponed. 

Ohio State is next scheduled to play Tennessee-Martin on Dec. 21. The athletics department said the status of future games has yet to be determined. 

The university began requiring students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 earlier in the fall semester with limited exemptions to the policy.

The NCAA does not require programs to routinely test fully vaccinated players and coaches unless those players are in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 or have coronavirus symptoms.