It seems Louisville basketball may actually play in a game on Saturday for the first time since Feb. 1. The Cardinals will attempt to give it a go just two days after another positive Covid test struck the program.
Tonight’s game vs. Syracuse has been postponed.https://t.co/7F7uzqeRK4
— Louisville Men's Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) February 17, 2021
With quarantining and other Covid protocols taking shape, the Cardinals may be shorthanded amongst the staff or the players on the floor when they are scheduled to take on North Carolina on Saturday evening.
Prior to the positive test on Wednesday, there were already two scholarship players who would be out due to other Covid issues. With no exact inclination as to who those players could be, there was some mystery heading into the game against Syracuse. Before anyone could find out, Louisville’s game was postponed.
Predicting the Cardinals will be an impossibility
With Chris Mack making himself available to the media Friday evening, the thought was that there should have been some more clarity coming on just how many players or coaches Louisville might be without on Saturday in what will be a difficult game against a young North Carolina that is projected to make the NCAA tournament.
But that didn’t happen.
#Louisville HC Chris Mack: Right now, I don't know who's going to be available for the game tomorrow (vs. UNC).
— Matt McGavic (@Matt_McGavic) February 19, 2021
Says that there's a 'conflict' with their medical people and the 'powers that be with their medical people'.
If Louisville is without a multitude of scholarship players, this is going to be an extremely difficult game to win. Depending on who of those is not available, it could get really ugly. The problem is that there is no common solution made.
You’d have to imagine that health protocols would be very conservative given what happened regarding postponement just two days ago.
Mack on the confusion about who can play tomorrow: "One of these days, I will write a book, because the last 48 hours have been interesting to say the least. I wish I could give you more information." Asked who will make the final call, Mack said "I don't know yet."
— Jody Demling (@jdemling) February 19, 2021
It sounds like things are very up in the air for the program right now with some frustration boiling over from head coach Chris Mack.
Heading into Saturday, things should be quite interesting. Chris Mack seems to know as much as the rest of us.