Less than an hour before the scheduled tipoff between No. 4 UCLA and Alabama State in Los Angeles, the Bruins called off the contest, citing COVID-19 protocols.
UPDATE: UCLA's home game against Alabama State on Wednesday, Dec. 15 will not be played as scheduled due to COVID-19 protocols. pic.twitter.com/nrbAhyyxxw
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) December 16, 2021
Earlier in the day, the UCLA program announced that head coach Mick Cronin had entered COVID-19 protocols and would be unavailable for the contest against the Hornets.
Associate head coach Darren Savino had been due to serve as acting head coach in Cronin’s absence.
The Bruins’ scheduled Dec. 5 game against Washington was canceled — UCLA won by forfeit — after several Huskies players and coaches entered the COVID-19 protocols.
“It seems to be becoming a problem. I’ve seen that a lot of NBA guys are dealing with it,” Cronin, 50, said of COVID-19 early this month. “It’s unfortunate and we all need to be careful, you know, everybody get their extra shot and do everything you can.
“When it comes to the COVID stuff, pray everybody’s OK, hope it just doesn’t become a massive problem, right, for all the sports.”
UCLA (8-1) is next scheduled game to play Saturday against North Carolina in Las Vegas. Alabama State (2-9) returns to action Tuesday at Memphis.
–Field Level Media