Cal men’s basketball team still searching for opponent to play Wednesday

The Cal men’s basketball team is still searching for a new opponent to play Wednesday after their scheduled season-opening game with Colorado State was canceled due to a coronavirus outbreak within the Rams program.

The Golden Bears were slated to play Colorado State on Wednesday in a neutral site game at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore. But last Friday, the Rams paused all team activities through Dec 2 due to two positive COVID-19 tests. Colorado State said the two positive tests were the first within the program since players reported back to the team in June.

As of Tuesday morning, the Bears were working with Oregon State to find a new opponent, and a team spokesman said an update is likely in the near future. Cal is still scheduled to play Northwest University of Kirkland, Wash. on Thursday in Corvallis.

Cal is also scheduled to play Nicholls State on Nov. 30 in its home opener. The Bears then start Pac-12 play against Arizona State at home on Dec. 3.

This is coach Mark Fox’s second season in Berkeley. The Bears finished 14-18 last season, a six-win improvement over the year before. Cal was 1-3 in neutral site games last season.

There have been a plethora of games canceled in men’s and women’s college basketball in the last few days due to coronavirus outbreaks.

Just on Monday, the UConn women’s basketball program announced it was shutting down the start of its season, and Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes and other personnel tested positive for COVID-19.

The second-ranked Baylor men’s basketball team was scheduled to play No. 18 Arizona State on Wednesday at the Empire Classic. but pulled out after coach Scott Drew tested positive for the coronavirus. Duke and Arizona also announced Monday that their respective season openers were canceled. The entire Ivy League announced earlier this month that it was cancelling winter sports.

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