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Live Tracker: Louisville Men's & Women's Basketball's COVID Timeline

Tracking all the scheduling adjustments and COVID-related news surrounding the Louisville Cardinals basketball programs
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(Photo of KFC Yum! Center court: Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As many fans are well aware, the 2020-21 college athletics season has been an unprecedented one due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the virus, all varsity sports have been impacted in some way or another, whether it be player availability, scheduling, or outright cancellation of seasons and whole sports.

On the campus of the University of Louisville, fewer programs have been more impacted by COVID than the men's and women's basketball teams. Between both programs, numerous games have been cancelled or postponed, especially on the women's side of things.

To get a sense at how unorthodox this year has been, we have compiled a timeline of all the COVID-19 related news between the two programs for their 2020-21 seasons, which mainly consists of scheduling and rescheduling. As more news breaks as the seasons progress, they will be added here.

Men's Basketball

  • July 7: Voluntary activities suspended for two weeks after two members of the program test positive.
  • July 20: Program returns to court for start of NCAA Summer Access period.
  • Nov. 3: Wade Houston Tipoff Classic field announced.
  • Nov. 10: ACC schedule finalized.
  • Nov. 17: Evansville replaces season-opener vs. Southern Illinois following pause in team activities by Salukis.
  • Dec. 3: Team activities paused due to positive COVID-19 tests, game vs. UNC Greensboro on Dec. 4 cancelled.
  • Dec. 7: Game at Wisconsin on Dec. 9 postponed due to pause in team activities.
  • Dec. 10: Program advised that they may begin the integration back to action.
  • Dec. 13: Game vs. NC State on Dec. 16 postponed due to COVID-19 protocols with Cardinals.
  • Dec. 14: Postponed game at Wisconsin rescheduled for Dec. 19.
  • Dec. 19: Carlik Jones unavailable for game vs. Clemson due to COVID return to play protocols.
  • Jan. 6: Game vs. Georgia Tech on Jan. 9 postponed due to pause in team activities by Yellow Jackets.

  • Jan: 25: Game vs. Boston College on Jan. 30 postponed due to pause in team activities by Eagles. Game at Clemson on Mar. 3 moved up to Jan. 27. Postponed game vs. Georgia Tech rescheduled for Feb. 1.

  • Feb. 3: Game at Syracuse on Feb. 3 postponed due to COVID protocols with Cardinals. Game at Virginia on Feb. 6 postponed due to same reason.

  • Feb 7: Game vs. Pitt on Feb. 10 postponed due to COVID protocols with Cardinals. Head coach Chris Mack tests positive.
  • Feb. 10: Game at Virginia Tech on Feb. 13 postponed and rescheduled to Mar. 3 due to COVID protocols with Cardinals.
  • Feb 17: Game vs. Syracuse on Feb. 17 postponed due to COVID protocols with Cardinals.
  • Running Tally:
    • Postponed Games: 9
    • Cancelled Games: 1
    • Moved Up Games: 1
    • Replacement Opponents: 1

Women's Basketball

  • Oct. 16: Non-conference schedule released.
  • Nov. 11: ACC schedule released.
  • Nov. 20: Game vs. Bellarmine on Dec. 6 cancelled due to pause in team activities by Knights.
  • Nov. 22: Season-opener at Middle Tennessee on Nov. 25 cancelled due to pause in team activities by Blue Raiders.
  • Nov. 23: Game at Southeast Missouri on Nov. 25 added, serves as new season-opener. Game vs. UConn at Mohegan Sun on Dec. 4 cancelled due to pause in team activities by Huskies.
  • Nov. 26: Game at Cincinnati on Nov. 28 cancelled due to a positive COVID-19 case within Bearcats. Game vs. UT Martin on Dec. 6 added.
  • Nov. 30: Game vs. DePaul at Mohegan Sun on Dec. 4 added.
  • Dec. 11: Team activities paused due to positive COVID-19 tests, game vs. North Carolina on Dec. 13 postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.
  • Dec. 12: Game vs. Florida State on Dec. 17 postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.
  • Dec. 17: Game vs. Miami on Dec. 20 postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.
  • Dec. 25: Second game at Duke on Dec. 31 cancelled due to Blue Devils opting out of remainder of season.
  • Dec. 28: Postponed game vs. North Carolina rescheduled for Jan. 1
  • Dec. 29: Game vs. North Carolina on Jan. 1 postponed for second time due to "travel issues" with Tar Heels.
  • Dec. 30: Postponed game vs. North Carolina rescheduled for second time, this time for Jan. 5. Game at Virginia on Jan. 3 postponed due to pause in team activities by Cavaliers.
  • Dec. 31: Cancelled game vs. Bellarmine re-added for Jan. 2. Game vs. Northern Kentucky on Jan. 1 added. Game vs. Pitt on Jan. 7 postponed due to pause in team activities by Panthers.
  • Jan. 3: Game vs. North Carolina on Jan. 5 postponed for a third time due to a positive COVID-19 case within Tar Heels. Game at Florida State on Jan. 10 postponed due to COVID protocols with Seminoles, meaning at this point, both home & away games vs. FSU are postponed. Game vs. Clemson on Feb. 21 moved up to Jan. 10. Second game vs. UT Martin on Jan. 5 added.
  • Jan. 5: Game at Virginia Tech on Jan. 28 moved up to Jan. 7. Postponed game vs. Miami rescheduled for Jan. 26. Postponed game vs. Florida State rescheduled for Feb. 23.
  • Jan. 10: Tipoff vs. Clemson pushed back two hours, ACC attributes delay ''as a result of a player undergoing further testing". Regular starters Olivia Cochran & Elizabeth Balogun do not start vs. Tigers, but join the bench after tipoff.
  • Jan. 12: Postponed game vs. North Carolina rescheduled for third time, this time for Jan. 28.
  • Jan. 13: Game vs. NC State on Jan. 17 postponed due to COVID protocols with Wolfpack. Game vs. Florida State on Feb. 23 moved up to Jan. 17.
  • Jan. 14: Postponed game vs. Virginia outright cancelled due to Cavaliers opting out of remainder of season.
  • Jan. 15: Game vs. Syracuse on Feb. 1 moved up to Jan. 21. Postponed game vs. NC State rescheduled for Feb. 1. Postponed game at Florida State rescheduled for Feb. 21.
  • Feb. 12: Game at Syracuse on Feb. 14 postponed due to COVID protocols with Cardinals.
  • Running Tally:
    • Postponed Games: 7
    • Cancelled Games: 5
    • Cancelled then Re-added Games: 1
    • Added Games: 4
    • Moved Up Games: 3 (including ppd game vs FSU)

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