By JACOB POLACHECK
For the first time in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, a team has been removed due to COVID-19 after Saturday’s first round matchup between No. 7 Oregon and No. 10 VCU was declared a no-contest due to multiple positive tests within the VCU program.
Oregon automatically advances to the second round and is set to play the winner of No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Grand Canyon.
The decision to postpone the game was made ‘in consultation with the Marion County Public Health Department’, the NCAA announced Saturday.
“The NCAA and the committee regret that VCU’s student-athletes and coaching staff will not be able to play in a tournament in which they earned the right to participate,” the NCAA said in a statement announcing the no contest, which came about 3 hours before the scheduled tipoff.
Louisville was the first replacement team in this year’s NCAA Tournament field, but did not get the opportunity to participate as the bracket closed Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.
“My heart goes out to VCU student-athletes and coach [Mike] Rhoades and their team,” Committee Chair Mitch Barnhart said. “They deserved to be here and they worked their way to get to Indianapolis.
“And for them not to have the chance to participate in this incredible event, my heart goes out to them and I know they’re extremely disappointed and we share their disappointment.”
This story has been updated.
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