Pittsburgh's Game vs. Duke Postponed After Positive COVID-19 Test Within Program

The Pittsburgh men's basketball team postponed its Tuesday game against No. 20 Duke after a member of the Pitt organization tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced Monday. 

Pittsburgh coach Jeff Capel tested positive for the virus on Dec. 19, but the team was able to continue as scheduled, per the Associated Press. He missed the team's loss to Louisville on Dec. 22, and the Panthers had no games scheduled between that loss and Tuesday's trip to Duke. 

In an interview with Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan, Capel said he had symptoms that were "difficult" to deal with, and he did not think basketball should be played amid the pandemic. 

Capel noted the different COVID-19 protocols among NCAA conferences as part of his reasoning for why he believes the sport should be paused at the collegiate level.

"We’re not getting paid, and when I say we, I mean the players. It’s different to me when you are a professional athlete.  It’s your job and you can make a choice. At the professional level, the rules are the same for each team. The leagues determine what the protocols are. Our protocols are across the board. You have some teams that test every day. You have some teams that test three times a week. You have some conferences that do something different." 

Both Pitt and Duke are in the ACC, which requires that any players or staff members in a program considered to be a high-risk transmission sport—including basketball—are tested three days before a game and again within 48 hours after the game ends and at least three times per week.

The conference follows CDC recommendations for contact tracing and quarantining. 

Capel is not alone in his disdain for continuing the college basketball season. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski called for the NCAA to "reassess" continuing the season amid a rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide (h/t ESPN's Alex Scarborough). 

Duke's women's basketball team chose to cancel its season Friday due to concerns about safety amid the pandemic. The team hadn't practiced or played since Dec. 16, when there were two positive tests within the program.