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A18 SPORTS
Friday 13 March 2020
March Madness: NCAA Tournaments canceled due to coronavirus

By RALPH D. RUSSO coach Kelly Graves, whose
AP College Sports Writer team would have entered
The NCAA canceled its the tournament as favor-
men's and women's bas- ites to reach the Final Four
ketball tournaments on in New Orleans. "There's
Thursday because of the something more important
spread of coronavirus, put- than the games going on.
ting an abrupt end to the I've kind of come to grips to
season less than a month that a little more than a few
before champions were to hours ago."
be crowned. Games would have started
The unprecedented move on the men's side on Tues-
comes a day after the day in Dayton, Ohio, be-
NCAA announced the fore spreading out to eight
games that were sched- sites from coast-to-coast
uled to start next week from next Thursday through
would go on, but played in Sunday. The women's tour-
mostly empty arenas. That nament was scheduled to
plan was scrapped as ev- begin March 20, with first-
ery major American sports and second-round games
league from the NBA to to be played at 16 sites on
MLB put the brakes on its or near the campuses of
season due to concerns the top teams.
about the pandemic. The national office of the NCAA in Indianapolis is shown Thursday, March 12, 2020. The men's Final Four was to
"This decision is based on Associated Press be played April 4 and 6 at
the evolving COVID-19 causes only mild or moder- size and stature. The three- nament was scheduled to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in
public health threat, our ate symptoms, such as fe- week tournament gener- be announced Sunday. Atlanta. The semifinals and
ability to ensure the events ver and cough. For some, ates almost a billion dollars The 64-team women's field final typically pack football
do not contribute to the especially older adults and in revenue each year for was to be revealed Mon- stadiums for the games,
spread of the pandemic people with existing health the NCAA and its hundreds day. The NCAA women's and after the champion
and the impracticality of problems, it can cause of member universities and tournament began in 1982 is crowned the best mo-
hosting such events at any more severe illness, includ- colleges, most coming from and it, too, has become a ments of the year's tourna-
time during the academic ing pneumonia. The vast a television contract with big event, raising the profile ment are wrapped up into
year given the ongoing de- majority of people recover CBS and Turner that pays of the sport. the "One Shining Moment"
cisions by other entities," the from the virus. the NCAA almost $800 mil- "I'm disappointed but I to- montage that has become
NCAA said in statement. The NCAA men's basket- lion per year. tally understand. I really a staple of CBS' television
The NCAA canceled all ball tournament has been It is now one of the biggest feel for the senior student- coverage through the
of its spring champion- played every year since events in American sports, athletes; every student years.
ships in every sport, which 1939 when Oregon won a basketball marathon of athlete, but particularly the Instead, March Madness
include hockey, baseball the championship in Evan- buzzer-beaters, upset and seniors because this is their took on a different mean-
and lacrosse. For most peo- ston, Illinois. It has grown thrills involving 68 teams. last chance for the fans," ing as sports have virtually
ple, the new coronavirus through the years, both in The field for the men's tour- said Oregon women's shut down.q

Virus worries prompt some post-race changes for the Iditarod

By MARK THIESSEN told The Associated Press. Minnesota living near the
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) The number of people al- Alaska community of Eure-
— Officials with the world's lowed inside the building ka, was the first musher to
most famous sled dog isn't yet known. the checkpoint in Cripple,
race announced Thurs- "I have to meet with the the race's halfway point.
day they have postponed representatives from the He arrived late Wednes-
post-race events in Nome Iditarod to discuss num- day with 13 dogs in har-
in response to the new bers, but the numbers are ness and planned to take
coronavirus. ultimately up to me," he his mandatory 24-hour rest
The Iditarod has post- said. period.
poned both the awards Steckman said the race He said he was pleased
banquet set for March 22 will continue, but they are with his team's perfor-
and the meet the mush- also encouraging people mance, telling the Iditar-
ers event set for March 21, to employ appropriate so- od Insider, "Everybody is
both in Nome, where the cial distancing. just smooth trotting, and
winner is expected some "If you're ill or feeling ill, they're doing their job."
time next week. don't come to the event," Sass is the two-time de-
The finish line is near the In this March 12, 2012 file photo, musher Brent Sass speaks to he said. "If you're over 60 fending champion of the
reporters after completing the nearly 1,000 mile Iditarod Trail
Nome mini-convention Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska. years of age, you shouldn't 1,000-mile (1,609-kilome-
center, which serves as Associated Press come to the event." ter) Yukon Quest Interna-
a community gathering Meanwhile, the leader is tional Sled Dog Race, run
point for mushers, their "They will still be using the the amount of people that taking a day's rest at the between Fairbanks and
families, race fans and vol- mini-convention center are allowed in there at halfway point of the Idi- Whitehorse, Yukon, Cana-
unteers that descend on as their headquarters. But any one time," Nome City tarod Trail Sled Dog Race. da. He won this year's Yu-
the city. we're going to be limiting Manager Glenn Steckman Brent Sass, a native of kon Quest on Feb. 11.q