The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today that the Duke vs. Florida State ACC men’s basketball tournament quarterfinal game has been canceled. The game was scheduled to be played on Thursday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m.
The postponement follows a positive test, subsequent quarantining, and contact tracing within the Duke men’s basketball program. The team is adhering to the outlined protocols within the ACC Medical Advisory Group report, which is available on theACC.com (full report).
SAD NEWS: We will not continue competing in the 2021 ACC Tournament due to our school’s and conference’s health/safety protocols. The determination was made following the positive COVID-19 test for a member of our program’s Tier 1 personnel after Wednesday’s game.
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 11, 2021
With the cancelation Florida State advances to the ACC Tournament semifinals and will play the winner of tonight’s North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech game that will now tip at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Kevin White, Duke University Vice President & Director of Athletics:
“Unfortunately, after going an entire season with no positive COVID-19 tests among our men’s basketball student-athletes and coaching staff, one member of our program tested positive following Wednesday’s ACC Tournament game in Greensboro. After working with our medical professionals and following Duke and ACC Medical Advisory Group health, safety, and contact tracing protocols, the student-athletes on our team are now in quarantine. Since last March when the pandemic started, we have listened to our medical experts and always put safety at the forefront of any determinations regarding competition. As a result, this will end our 2020-21 season. We wish every team still playing college basketball good health and the very best during the next few weeks.”
Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University Head Men’s Basketball Coach
“While our season was different than any other that I can remember, I loved the 2020-21 Duke Basketball team and was honored to be their coach. We have not asked more of any team in our history, and they deserve enormous credit for handling everything like the outstanding young men they are. I feel deeply for our players, who have done a terrific job all season in taking care of each other and the team. I am extremely proud of their collective attitudes and effort, which could not have been stronger. We are disappointed we cannot keep fighting together as a group after two outstanding days in Greensboro. This season was a challenge for every team across the country and as we have seen over and over, this global pandemic is very cruel and is not yet over. As many safeguards as we implemented, no one is immune to this terrible virus.”
The Blue Devils had won their first two games in the ACC Tournament and were set to face Florida State in the quarterfinals on Thursday night at the Greensboro Coliseum. Duke is 13-11 overall and finished 10th in the ACC with a 9-9 record.