Duke’s Saturday basketball game against Cleveland State is canceled
The latest wave of COVID-19 infections sweeping across the nation has impacted Duke’s basketball schedule.
Cleveland State, Duke’s scheduled opponent for a game Saturday, will not be traveling to Durham because of COVID-19 issues within its program. The Vikings have temporarily paused all team activities, keeping with NCAA COVID-19 safety protocols after positive cases within a program.
“Coach Gates and the team have been extremely diligent in adhering to our protocols as well as deploying other proactive risk mitigation strategies,” said Cleveland State Athletics Director Scott Garrett in a news release, which also noted the cancellation of the Vikings’ Dec. 21 game against Kent State. “After consultation with our training staff and the Cleveland Clinic Sports Health Center, we are pausing team activity and will reassess in 10 days. While we are disappointed, it is clear that this is the responsible course of action.”
With the cancellation of this weekend’s game, No. 2 Duke (8-1) is seeking a replacement opponent to play on Saturday.
This is the first Duke game affected by the COVID-19 pandemic this season. Last season, Duke played all its home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium with no spectators in attendance. Several games were canceled, including a home game with Pittsburgh and a road game at Florida State, due to COVID-19 issues with Duke’s opposition.
Last March, the Blue Devils pulled out of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum, after winning two games to reach the quarterfinals, due to its own COVID-19 cases. Duke finished 13-11 and failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1995.
This season, however, Duke has played before capacity crowds at all its home games after implementing mask mandates and vaccine requirements (or proof of a negative COVID-19 test) for anyone entering Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Blue Devils beat South Carolina State, 103-62, on Tuesday night at Cameron and are scheduled to play Appalachian State Thursday night at 7 p.m. at home. Unless another opponent is lined up to replace Cleveland State, Duke’s next scheduled game is its Dec. 22 ACC opener at 9 p.m. against Virginia Tech.
With a KenPom.com rating of No. 150 nationally, Cleveland State would have been one of the better nonconference opponents the Blue Devils would face at home this season. The Vikings, an NCAA tournament team last season after winning the Horizon League championship, started this season 6-3. Their six-game winning streak was snapped Monday night with a 98-93 overtime loss at Oklahoma State.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 11:34 AM.