The COVID-19 surge in the sports world is playing havoc with the nationally-ranked CSU Rams men’s basketball team as well.
The athletic department announced Friday that Saturday’s game with Tulsa and a Tuesday trip to play No. 6 Alabama, the Rams’ marquee matchup of the non-conference slate, have been called off because of “COVID-related concerns” within the CSU basketball program.
“We are disappointed that the current health status of our team does not allow us to play the upcoming game against Alabama,” athletic director Joe Parker said in a university news release. “The health of everyone involved in the event, including both sets of student-athletes, coaches staff and fans, is of the utmost importance to us. By making the decision now, it affords Alabama an opportunity to find another opponent for next week.”
The No. 23 Rams (10-0) had been slated to play the Golden Hurricane (6-5) on Saturday in the Hoops Hype XL Collegiate Basketball Showcase. The game had been slated for a 2:30 p.m. tip in Fort Worth, Texas. Neither that game or the one against the Crimson Tide (8-2) will be made up this season.
The Rams had not yet left for Texas when the cancellation announcements were made. CSU was originally slated to play the Crimson Tide at the C.M. Newton Classica at 5 p.m. Denver time on Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala.
CSU, which is coming off a 66-63 win over Mississippi State in Fort Worth this past weekend, is ranked No. 25 in the country and No. 38 in the country by
Losing the Alabama tilt removes the biggest name — and toughest opponent to date — from the Rams’ non-conference schedule, as the Tide head into the weekend ranked No. 19 in the NET and No. 13 by KenPom.com.
As of Friday afternoon, CSU was projected in the 2022 NCAA Tournament by CBS Sports bracketologist Jerry Palm and by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.
The Rams’ next scheduled game is Dec. 28 at New Mexico, CSU’s Mountain West opener.
