Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes is in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Tennessee has paused activities in the men’s basketball program with Coach Rick Barnes among staff, players and other personnel that have tested positive for COVID-19.

Barnes, 66, has entered isolation protocol and the program is following SEC, local and university health guidelines.

A release from the school said the positives were detected Sunday during routine surveillance testing conducted three times a week per NCAA and SEC guidelines. The program will be retested Monday.

The No. 12 Volunteers were scheduled to open against Charlotte on Wednesday before facing VCU on Friday in the Volunteer Classic in Knoxville. The school will update the status of those games on Tuesday.

MICHIGAN STATE: Coach Tom Izzo has resumed leading his team, two weeks following a positive COVID-19 test and after isolating at home.

Izzo was cleared to attend practices over the weekend and returned to work in his on-campus office on Monday. The Hall of Fame coach will be on bench with the 13th-ranked Spartans in their season-opening game Wednesday night at home against Eastern Michigan.

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“Our front-line workers during this time have been so essential, and I have a great appreciation for those people and what they have done to fight this disease during this time,” Izzo said. “While some people who have tested positive have not been affected too much by it, I am here to tell you that this virus is no joke and everyone must take this seriously.”

DUKE: Ninth-ranked Duke’s season opener against Gardner-Webb has been postponed due to novel coronavirus issues within the Runnin’ Bulldogs program.

The announcement came two days before the men’s basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Gardner-Webb says the decision followed a positive COVID-19 test and contact tracing within its program. The player who tested positive is asymptomatic.

The schools said they might look to make up the game at a later date.

Duke is scheduled to host Coppin State on Saturday.

Gardner-Webb’s game at Georgia scheduled for Sunday has been canceled.

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OREGON: The season opener for No. 20 Oregon against Eastern Washington scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed because of two positive COVID-19 cases within the Eagles’ program.

The Eagles called for the postponement due to concerns of having enough scholarship players available due to the positive tests and contact tracing protocols.

No makeup date has been announced.

Eastern Washington says it believes it will be able to play its scheduled game on Saturday at Washington State, provided players currently under quarantine are cleared to play.

MISSISSIPPI: The school has canceled four basketball games and suspended team activities until Dec. 7 because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing.

The school in Oxford, Mississippi, announced Monday that the Justin Reed Ole Miss Classic set for this week is canceled, along with the Dec. 5 game against Memphis.

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The Rebels were scheduled to host Central Arkansas on Wednesday, Jackson State on Thursday and Arkansas State on Friday.

Ole Miss says the athletes and staff affected are “taking appropriate safety measures in accordance with university protocol.”

The Rebels are now scheduled to open the season Dec. 12 against UNC-Wilmington.

ARIZONA: The Wildcasts’ season opener in men’s basketball against Northern Arizona on Wednesday has been canceled due to a positive COVID-19 test in the Lumberjacks’ program.

The game was canceled due to contact tracing and mitigation protocols after the positive test.

The programs will work to possibly reschedule the game at a later date.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UCONN: The third-ranked UConn Huskies women’s basketball team has postponed its first four games after a member of the program tested positive for COVID-19.

The Huskies were going to play Quinnipiac and either No. 6 Mississippi State or Maine this weekend at Mohegan Sun. They were also scheduled to face No. 5 Louisville on Dec. 4 in the Jimmy V Classic women’s game. UConn also had its first Big East game scheduled for Dec. 6 at Seton Hall.

Team activities will remain on hold for at least 14 days and will resume when it is deemed safe by medical professionals.

FOOTBALL

FRESNO STATE: The Mountain West says it’s canceling the Fresno State-San Diego State football game slated for Friday because of the novel coronavirus.

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The conference said that “due to COVID-19 contact tracing within the Fresno State football program, the Bulldogs are unable to participate in the scheduled football game.”

The game has been declared a no-contest and there are no plans to reschedule it.

NEBRASKA: Coach Scott Frost said linebacker Collin Miller visited teammates at practice Monday but is unlikely to play the rest of the season after he injured his spine making a tackle against Illinois.

Miller suffered a spinal concussion, which is characterized by a temporary sensory impairment and motor weakness, Frost said. The condition typically resolves in one to three days with no lasting effects, according to the Neural Regeneration Research journal.


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