ACC Cancels Remainder of Men's Basketball Tournament

The decision comes just one day removed from the league's decision to close off the tournament to fans due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

© Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Thursday that the remainder of the 2020 Men's Basketball Tournament has been cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) within the United States and internationally. Louisville's previously scheduled game vs. Syracuse at 9:00pm tonight will not be played.

“Following additional consultation with the league’s presidents and athletic directors, and in light of the continued conversations surrounding the fluidity of COVID-19, the Atlantic Coast Conference will immediately cancel the remainder of the 2020 ACC Tournament. For NCAA Tournament automatic qualification purposes, Florida State will represent the league as the ACC Champion. We are disappointed for our student-athletes, schools and fans to have to make this decision; however, the overall health and safety of all involved is the priority.”

- Statement from the Atlantic Coast Conference

The decision to call off the rest of the event comes just moments before the quarterfinal round of the tournament was set to begin. Florida State and Clemson were on the floor of the Greensboro Coliseum warming up ahead of their 12:00pm matchup, before they teams were pulled off the court.

The conference was not alone across the college basketball landscape in their decision to halt their ongoing conference tournament. The other four Power Five conferences made the decision to cancel their respective conference tournaments before the ACC ultimately reached their decision as well.

Prior to the tournament's cancellation, it was announced Wednesday night that the league would carry on with the tournament without fans present as a response to the coronavirus. The NCAA announced yesterday that its Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournament would be closed to fans in lieu of the outbreak of the coronavirus.

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