Dino Gaudio Provides Update on Louisville's Latest COVID Issues

The Cardinals have had three games postponed as a result of their latest program pause.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program was finally starting to turn a corner as it pertains to operating with a heightened sense of effort, and then the COVID-19 pandemic decided to pay the Cardinals another visit.

Since last week, Louisville has had three games postponed due to the virus: their road trips to both Syracuse and Virginia, and their home contest against Pitt.

On Monday's weekly ACC Men's Basketball Coaches teleconference, assistant coach Dino Gaudio filled in for head coach Chris Mack, who had tested positive for COVID on Sunday night, and provided an update on the program's current state regarding the virus.

"We have three (players) that have tested positive and we have other players that are in quarantine with contact tracing," Gaudio said Monday. "We'll know a little more perhaps later tonight."

That is when the Cardinals will learn the results of the latest round of testing, and be determined if the team can take back to the court and resume practice. Gaudio says they have not practiced since last Tuesday, the day before their game vs. Syracuse.

"Hopefully, today we get a clear return on the tests and no more positives," he said. "If that's the case then I believe we can get back to practice on Wednesday. That's not 100% certain, but even if we practice on Wednesday, we will not have our full complement of players."

Gaudio told the media that the program tested on that Tuesday before the Syracuse game, but did not learn the results until later that night, when the team had already flown up. There was a single positive test, but "a few other kids were out" due to contact tracing. Since then, two more players have tested positive, as well as head coach Chris Mack.

Gaudio spoke to Mack as recently as Sunday night, and said that he "just has some mild symptoms" and "for the most part is feeling good".

As it pertains to Louisville's upcoming game at Virginia Tech on Saturday, Feb. 13, Gaudio said that the program is "preparing as if we are going to play (it)", but that it's "all contingent" on the program's test results.

"If we had to practice today, I'm not sure if we would have six guys," he said. "We will see how that plays out here in the next 24 or 36 hours."

This is the second time that Louisville has experienced a pause due to the virus. They had to briefly pause team activities back in December, and a result, had to cancel their matchup with UNC Greensboro while postponing their games vs. NC State and at Wisconsin, with the latter eventually getting rescheduled and played.

Their matchups vs. Boston College and Georgia Tech also have had to be postponed due to COVID, albeit due to issues within the respective programs. The rematch vs. the Eagles has yet to be rescheduled, while the contest against the Yellow Jackets was played this past Monday.

The Cardinals now have five games that require rescheduling as a result of the latest postponements: their home games against NC State, Boston College and Pitt; as well as their road trips to Syracuse and Virginia.

Louisville currently sports an 11-4 record on the season, with a 6-3 record in ACC play. Tipoff at Virginia Tech on Saturday, Feb. 13 is tentatively scheduled for 12:00 p.m. EST on the ACC Network.

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