Two Players Out, Chris Mack Expected Back vs. Syracuse for Louisville
(Photo of Chris Mack: Ken Ruinard via the Atlantic Coast Conference)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When the Louisville men's basketball program is finally able to return to the court this Wednesday against Syracuse, a pair of players will not be joining the Cardinals.
Filling in for head coach Chris Mack on the weekly Atlantic Coast Conference coaches teleconference, assistant coach Dino Gaudio said Monday that the Cardinals will be without two players for their upcoming home contest against the Orange, with a third that is a walk-on, due to COVID-19 protocols outlined within the ACC Medical Advisory Group report.
Gaudio, who has been the acting head coach since Mack tested positive for the virus back on Feb. 7, said the unnamed players are simply completing the necessary protocols, and that no one within the program is positive as of their latest three rounds of testing.
"We have tested now, Friday, Saturday, we couldn't test on Sunday because of a lab wasn't open," Gaudio said. "We tested again this morning, and the latter three have been - we've had all negatives."
There is also some additional good news for the program. Gaudio revealed that Mack, barring any additional setbacks, is expected to rejoin the program on Tuesday for practice and will be on the sidelines against the Orange.
"We think he's going to be back for practice Tuesday," Gaudio said. "He's met all of the protocols and guidelines, and he's feeling really well. Might be feeling too well, because he's telling us that he's watching practice at home. I think it's just grating on him that he can't be here. But he'll be at practice Tuesday, he'll be coaching on the floor on Wednesday, and we're all looking forward to having him back."
During their most recent pause due to the virus, Louisville had gone nine days without practicing, and have not played since Feb 1 against Georgia Tech. They were supposed to get back to practice last Thursday, until a player came in with a temperature over 101 degrees, forcing Gaudio to send players home.
But with everything that has gone on inside the program recently as it pertains to the virus, Gaudio still expects to host Syracuse on Wednesday.
"I think we're in a good place," he said. "Hopefully Syracuse is as well, but as of, whatever it is right now, 11:45 on Monday, we're anticipating that we're playing the game."
Louisville is coming off of their second prolonged pause due to COVID-19. Although the program did not officially paused team activities this time around, it resulted in the postponements of four games. The Cardinals paused team activities for nearly three weeks this past December.
Thanks to both pauses., as well as COVID protocols across the ACC, Louisville still has six games that require rescheduling. The ACC Tournament is slated to begin in less than a month on Tuesday, Mar. 9.
Louisville currently sports an 11-4 on the season, with a 6-3 record in ACC play. Tipoff vs. Syracuse is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. EST on the ACC Network.
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