The Kansas Jayhawks are out of the Big 12 Tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reported Kansas, following a win over the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday, had a player test positive for the virus. Norlander also reportedly said that the player participated in the win over the Sooners.
BREAKING—Kansas has a player who’s tested positive for COVID and has been removed from the Big 12 Tournament, sources tell @CBSSports. Jayhawks were supposed to play Texas tonight in the semis.
KU kept two players home due to COVID protocols, prior to leaving for Kansas City.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 12, 2021
Sources tell CBS Sports the Kansas player who tested positive played in the team’s win Thursday over Oklahoma.
Duke, Virginia and Kansas have now all been knocked out of their league tournaments in a 28-hour period.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 12, 2021
Kansas had another positive COVID test and is out of the Big 12 tourney, sources confirmed to @Stadium. First reported by @MattNorlander.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 12, 2021
The Jayhawks had previously ruled big man David McCormack out of the Big 12 Tournament as a result of health and safety protocols. Their hopes of winning the conference championship have come to an end.
This is yet another in a concerning trend in college basketball just days before Selection Sunday.
The Duke Blue Devils had to pull out of their ACC quarterfinal against the Florida State Seminoles on Thursday due to a positive COVID-19 test. The Virginia Cavaliers won their quarterfinal over the Syracuse Orange on a buzzer-beating three, only to drop out of their semifinal matchup with Georgia Tech due to COVID issues.
But the concerns might be even more dire for Kansas. As Norlander iterated, it is unknown whether this latest positive could impact the Jayhawks' eligibility. The situation is all the more complicated because the player took the floor against the Sooners, which has potentially drastic ramifications for Oklahoma's roster.
Article Continues BelowHowever, Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported there is “optimism” within Kansas' program the Jayhawks will still be able to play in the NCAA Tournament.
There is still optimism within the Kansas program that the Jayhawks will be able to participate in the NCAA tourney, source told @Stadium. https://t.co/YJn7q7iRcj
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 12, 2021
Kansas entered the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 11 team in the country per the latest AP Top 25 poll. The Jayhawks were one of the favorites to win the Tournament, even without McCormack.
But Bill Self's team will not be playing as COVID concerns grow all the more prominent in the college basketball landscape.