Coronavirus

Big West Conference Basketball Tournaments Nix Spectators Due to Virus

The women's tournament began Tuesday night with two first-round games at the Walter Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach, without fans.

Long Beach State guard Shanaijah Davison #21 shoots the ball in what would normally be the student cheering section in an empty Walter Pyramid in the Big West tournament in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Fears over the coronavirus have forced tournament organizers to ban fans from the games this week. (Photo by Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images)
Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images

The Big West Conference announced Tuesday that its men's and women's basketball tournaments will be played without spectators in Long Beach and Anaheim as a precaution for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

"The Big West Board of Directors, comprised of the chief executive officers of the nine member universities, strongly feel that this is a prudent way to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus while being sensitive to our student-athletes who have pointed towards playing in the tournament all season," Commissioner Dennis Farrell said.

LONG BEACH, CA - MARCH 10: The Long Beach State and Cal Poly women"u2019s basketball teams play in an empty Walter Pyramid in the Big West tournament in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Fears over the coronavirus have forced tournament organizers to ban fans from the games this week.
Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images
The Long Beach State and Cal Poly women's basketball teams play in an empty Walter Pyramid in the Big West tournament in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Fears over the coronavirus have forced tournament organizers to ban fans from the games this week. (Photo by Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images)

The women's tournament began Tuesday night with two first-round games at the Walter Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach. Two quarterfinal games will be played at Walter Pyramid Wednesday. Two semifinal games will be played Friday at Honda Center in Anaheim, the site of Saturday's championship game.

The entire men's tournament will be played at Honda Center, beginning Thursday with four quarterfinal games. Two semifinal games will be played Friday and the championship game Saturday.

Copyright City News Service
Contact Us