Sports

Big West Cancels Basketball Tournament Amid Coronavirus Concerns

All games of the 2020 men's basketball & women's basketball tournament, scheduled to play out at Anaheim's Honda Center, were canceled.

Ashley Ludwig's profile picture
Ashley Ludwig, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
|
All games of the Big West Conference 2020 NCAA men's basketball & women's basketball tournament, scheduled to play out at Anaheim's Honda Center, are canceled.
All games of the Big West Conference 2020 NCAA men's basketball & women's basketball tournament, scheduled to play out at Anaheim's Honda Center, are canceled. (Google Map Photo)

ANAHEIM, CA —The Honda Center will remain quiet, Thursday, with no squeaks of shoes or echoes of players shooting hoops from the court. The remainder of the 2020 Big West Tournament was canceled as of Thursday morning, officials say. The Big West Conference Board of Directors canceled the remainder of the 2020 Big West Tournament, a spokesperson said, citing "fluidity" surrounding the new corona virus, also known as COVID-19, and the ongoing need for social distancing.

"The main priority of the Big West Conference continues to be the health, safety, and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans, and media as we continue to monitor all developing and relevant information on the COVID-19 virus," they said.

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

Find out what's happening in Lake Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The Big West hash-tag of #LeaveALegacy now has new meaning for players and fans as the Big West Conference joins the Big Ten, SEC , and others to leave a far different legacy than just empty stands.

Both UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton men's basketball programs merely forwarded the Twitter news from the Big West Conference thread, while fans chimed in with disbelief as the consequences surrounding COVID-19 continue to hit home.

Find out what's happening in Lake Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Thursday's men's basketball games would have included Cal State Northridge vs. Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara vs. UC Riverside, UC Irvine Vs. Long Beach State, and UC Davis vs. Hawaii.

On Wednesday, the NCAA announced the annual March Madness tournaments, for men and women, would be played behind closed doors, with spectators limited to essential staff and family of players.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Lake Forest