Report: Nevada-North Texas canceled due to COVID-19 issues

The contest between the Nevada Wolf Pack men’s basketball team and North Texas, originally scheduled for 11 a.m. PST on Saturday, Dec. 4, has been cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 issues in the Wolf Pack program, according to CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish.

Nevada head coach Steve Alford tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of its Tuesday match against Pepperdine. Alford was set to miss Nevada’s next three games — including Tuesday’s — with Kory Barnett filling in as the team’s temporary head coach. The Wolf Pack had one additional staffer test positive on Tuesday, and while it wasn’t disclosed who it was, associate head coach Craig Neal was not listed as available to coach in Alford’s absence.

Nevada Sports Net’s Chris Murray reported Thursday that one additional member of the Wolf Pack’s men’s basketball team has tested positive for COVID-19.

“The Wolf Pack has had further COVID-19 issues, including at least one more member of the program testing positive, according to a source with knowledge of the situation,” Murray wrote. “Nevada said earlier this week it has a 100 percent vaccination rate among its players, coaches and staff. The Wolf Pack has not confirmed the cancelation as of Thursday morning.”

The Wolf Pack played in the Crossover Classic last week, a round-robin invitational between Washington, George Mason and South Dakota State. The Huskies were bombarded by COVID-19 issues of their own, leading to the cancellation of their Thursday game against No. 11 Arizona. George Mason also had a vaccinated player test positive this week, per CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander.

Nevada is scheduled to play Texas-Arlington on Tuesday, Dec. 7, though no ruling has been decided on that yet, before traveling back home to face Minnesota Duluth, a Division-III program, on Dec. 15.