COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University men’s basketball game against New Orleans on Tuesday was canceled due to the number of student athletes available for the Buckeyes because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • The men's basketball game between Ohio State and New Orleans on Tuesday has been canceled due to COVID-19 issues
  • The cancellation of the game comes as dozens of college men's basketball games have been called off nationwide due to the pandemic

  • Ohio State has canceled multiple games in December due to the number of student-athletes available because of the pandemic

  • The Buckeyes have resumed team activities and are preparing to play Sunday at Nebraska

“Our guys are progressing through the COVID return to play protocols well, but we just don’t have the numbers or readiness to play a game yet,” said Coach Chris Holtmann in a press release Monday. “Player safety as it relates to COVID and as they return to play after a significant time off, will always be a top priority.”

 

The cancellation of the game comes as dozens of college men's basketball games have been called off nationwide due to the pandemic.

Ohio State recently canceled a game earlier this month against Tennessee-Martin due to continuing COVID-19 issues within the Buckeyes’ program.

Word of the cancellation came two days after Ohio State was supposed to play Kentucky in Las Vegas in the CBS Sports Classic, a game that also was scrapped. Neither game was rescheduled.

“The safety and well-being of the student-athletes, coaches, staff and Ohio State community continue to remain the highest priority,” the school said in a statement earlier this month. “All team-related activities will remain suspended, and the players and staff will continue to be tested according to Ohio State protocols in consultation with the Big Ten Conference.”

The Buckeyes have resumed team activities and are preparing to play Sunday at Nebraska, Ohio State officials said in a press release on Monday.

Nationally, college basketball is returning from the Christmas break with a lighter schedule after the pandemic caused several upcoming games to get canceled or postponed.

The men’s basketball game scheduled for Tuesday between Cincinnati and Houston was canceled due to the number of student athletes available at Houston because of the pandemic.

Also, the Ohio University men's basketball team's Mid-American Conference opener against Eastern Michigan scheduled for Tuesday in Athens was postponed due to a pause in the EMU basketball program and may be rescheduled for a future date, the MAC league office announced Monday.

In addition, No. 2 Duke’s game Wednesday night at Clemson has been scrapped.

Other matchups that won’t take place as scheduled Wednesday include Florida State at Boston College and Virginia Tech at North Carolina. The Georgia Tech-Syracuse game scheduled for Wednesday was postponed earlier.

The Big East cited COVID-19 issues within the Georgetown and St. John’s programs in canceling their game scheduled for Saturday. Marquette’s game at St. John’s on Wednesday and Xavier’s Jan. 4 game at Georgetown also have been called off.

Related Stories