No. 2 Duke’s games against Clemson, Notre Dame postponed because of COVID issues
The No. 2-ranked Duke basketball team will not travel to Clemson or Notre Dame this week.
The two ACC games have been postponed in response to COVID-19 issues within the Blue Devils’ program, The News & Observer has learned.
Duke (12-1, 1-0 ACC) was scheduled to face Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum Wednesday afternoon before traveling to face Notre Dame Saturday night.
Duke’s game at Clemson is one of three ACC games that was scheduled for Wednesday, but is now postponed. Florida State’s game at Boston College and North Carolina’s home matchup against Virginia Tech are the other two, the league announced Monday.
Like the Blue Devils, the Seminoles and Hokies are in COVID protocols. Duke opened conference play last Wednesday with a 76-65 comeback win over Virginia Tech at Cameron Indoor.
The ACC also changed its COVID-19 protocols last Wednesday, adjusting the forfeit rule that had previously applied to teams unable to play a scheduled league game due to positive COVID-19 cases.
The new ACC rule stipulates that as long as a team has seven available scholarship players and one coach, they are deemed available to play. If a team does not have that number of participants, the game will be declared a no contest. Previously that had been a forfeit.
However, if a team does meet those requirements and decides not to play, the result would then be a forfeit.
The rule change applies retroactively, meaning a forfeit result stemming from a postponed game is now recorded as a no contest.
The move comes amid a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the highly contagious omicron variant, which causes breakthrough positive tests even among individuals who are fully vaccinated.
Duke, Syracuse, Boston College, Louisville, Florida State and Virginia Tech are among the men’s basketball programs that have now experienced a pause in activities due to positive cases this season.
Previously Duke saw two nonconference opponents, Cleveland State and Loyola (Maryland), back out of playing due to their COVID-19 cases. The Blue Devils were able to schedule Elon to play on 24 hours notice.
Duke assistant coach Nolan Smith, though, entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols ahead of that game. That caused Duke’s players and team staff to undergo COVID-19 tests three times over Friday and Saturday before being cleared to play the Elon game.
Duke was also without Smith last Wednesday in its ACC-opening win over the Hokies.
This story was originally published December 27, 2021 at 10:25 AM.