Report: Florida Not Expected to Play Opening 2 Basketball Games Amid COVID-19

The Florida Gators are not expected to play their first two college basketball games amid concerns about COVID-19, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium.

The team has currently paused its basketball activities due to COVID-19.

Florida was expected to open its season in an event at Mohegan Sun, facing UMass Lowell on Wednesday before a high-profile battle against Virginia on Friday.

The team's next scheduled game is Wednesday, Dec. 2, against Oklahoma.

The 2020-21 college basketball season was delayed across the nation while programs prepared for COVID-19 protocols, although the pandemic has continued to spread across the United States. There have been more than 250,000 deaths nationwide as a result of the coronavirus, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Florida admitted to having some problems with COVID-19 during practices ahead of the season.

"We've had issues, I can say that," head coach Mike White said in October, per Thomas Goldkamp of 247Sports. "Heck, we had about 10 days there we've had five guys at practice, I want to say eight to 10 consecutive days. I try to block it from my memory. It was nuts."

The college football season has already been greatly affected by postponements and cancelations due to positive COVID-19 tests. This could have an even bigger impact on a sport with smaller rosters like basketball.

The Ivy League has already decided to cancel winter sports for the year.

Florida has now already lost one of its biggest nonconference matchups against No. 4 Virginia but will hope to get its regular season on track in December.