SAN DIEGO (CNS) -- UC San Diego will resume its coronavirus-interrupted men's basketball season Saturday by playing host to UC Irvine at RIMAC Arena, one day after a game between the two teams was postponed because a Tritons' player exhibited COVID-19-like symptoms.
A tweet at 9:42 a.m. from the team's account read "GAME ON!"
The university announced Friday the status the game would be determined pending follow-up testing. The postponement was made "out of an abundance of caution" and followed consultation with medical officials, school officials said. The player was not identified.
The game will be UC San Diego's first since Dec. 23 following cancellations of four Big West Conference games, a planned non-conference game to replace a canceled conference game and Friday's postponement.
This will be the Tritons' (2-0) first game against a Division I opponent this season. They defeated an NAIA team Saint Katherine University 77-51 on Dec. 22 and 75-39 on Dec. 23.
After 20 seasons in NCAA Division II, UC San Diego's entire athletics program has begun a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full Division I status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
The Tritons are scheduled to play a Big West Conference schedule this season. However, they are not eligible to compete in Big West or NCAA postseason events and will not be included in the conference standings.
