Duke basketball has upcoming game canceled due to COVID-19

An upcoming Duke basketball game has been canceled due to COVID-19. 

The uptick in COVID-19 cases around professional and college teams over the last week has been alarming, and now it has forced the cancellation of a Duke basketball game.

No. 2 Duke (8-1) was scheduled to play Cleveland State (6-3) on Saturday afternoon in Durham, but the game has been canceled after the Vikings announced on Wednesday morning their program will be entering a pause due to positive tests within the program.

The expectation is that the game against Cleveland State will not be rescheduled as Duke is looking for a new opponent to play this weekend.

Mike Krzyzewski’s team is coming off of a scheduled two-week break and defeated South Carolina State (3-8) 103-62 on Tuesday night.

The Blue Devils are scheduled to play Appalachian State (6-5) on Thursday evening.

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Duke has not been forced to go into a COVID-19 pause of its own this season, and there has been no public announcement of players on the team testing positive for the virus since the team has been on campus in the late spring.

All students and faculty that attend and work at the university are required to be vaccinated against the virus.

Duke saw its season come to an abrupt end last year after multiple players tested positive for COVID-19 hours prior to its quarterfinal matchup in the ACC Tournament.

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Saturday’s game against Cleveland State was important for the Blue Devils because it was the final game before conference play begins next Wednesday night against Virginia Tech (7-4, 0-1 ACC).

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Mike Krzyzewski recently said that this stretch of games was important for his team to get back into the rhythm of playing together after the extended break, and the team showed very little signs of rust in its victory over the Bulldogs.

Duke already has victories over then No. 10 Kentucky and No. 1 Gonzaga this season as its lone defeat came on the road against Ohio State.