DURHAM — While Mike Krzyzewski watched Illinois dominate his Duke basketball team at Cameron Indoor Stadium Tuesday night, the coronavirus pandemic took another ACC team off the court.
During Illinois’ 83-68 win over the Blue Devils in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, ESPN announced the Virginia-Michigan State game scheduled for Wednesday night as part of the event won’t be played.
Virginia has COVID-19 issues within its program, so the game that was supposed to be played in Charlottesville, Virginia, is off.
Krzyzewski, the sport’s all-time leader in coaching wins, said the whole situation, trying to get the games in during the pandemic, keeping players away from their families to keep them healthy to play games, doesn’t feel right.
“I don’t think it feels right to anybody,” Krzyzewski said. “I mean, everyone is concerned.”
Virginia joined Louisville, Wake Forest and N.C. State among ACC basketball teams having to pause their programs this week due to positive COVID-19 cases and contract tracing.
Krzyzewski pointed to the rising numbers of cases and deaths around the country. North Carolina has set records for daily new cases and hospitalizations this week, causing Gov. Roy Cooper to implement a curfew from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. daily beginning Friday.
The NCAA started the season on Nov. 25 hoping to get as many games in as possible to set things up for the NCAA tournament in March.
“I know the NCAA is worried about the end game,” Krzyzewski said. “They’re not as worried about the game we’re playing right now.”
Krzyzewski made the comments in response to a reporter’s question during his postgame news conference early Wednesday morning following Duke’s second loss in its last three games. The Blue Devils fell behind 17-4 and never drew closer than eight points against an Illinois team Krzyzewski said was “better than we are.”
He knows speaking up about the viability of trying to get games played while COVID-19 cases and deaths are surging around the country, at a time when his team isn’t playing well, will draw him criticism.
“I know somebody will take what I’m saying tonight, and make it like I’m making excuses,” Krzyzewski said. “I don’t make excuses. We need to get a lot better. But for the good of the game, and the good of the safety and mental and physical health of our players and staff and whatever, we need to constantly look at this thing. And I think that’s, I think that’s a smart thing to do.”
Games that count in the ACC regular-season standings are scheduled to start next week. Each team is set to play 20 league games. Schools are preparing to keep their players on campus over the holiday break to limit them from coronavirus exposure so the games can be played.
“Do I think things should be done a little bit differently?” Krzyzewski said. “Yeah. I mean, you know, a lot of kids, kids aren’t gonna be able to go home for Christmas, probably a time where they should for mental health. We’re just plowing through this.”
Meanwhile, Krzyzewski said Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes told him via text this week that five Demon Deacons players have tested positive for COVID-19 in addition to one of Forbes’ sons.
Louisville, Virginia and N.C. State don’t know for sure when they’ll be able to play again. N.C. State and Louisville are supposed to open their ACC schedule against each other on Dec. 16.
Vaccines proven in trials as a successful preventive measure against contracting COVID-19 are expected to be available on a limited basis in the United States next week. But those will go to frontline healthcare workers who treat COVID-19 patients first. Vulnerable elderly people living in long-term care facilities would get them next.
But just knowing that the vaccines are coming should be factored into how college basketball forges ahead with its season, Krzyzewski said.
“Well, should we not reassess that, you know?” he said. “Just see what would be best? And look, I’m going to do whatever they say. We’re gonna make the most out of everything that’s said. But yeah, it’s a different time.”