Amid COVID-19 issues canceling appearances in the CBS Sports Classic for both of their opponents, No. 21 Kentucky and North Carolina will play each other in the event for a 5:30 p.m. ET tipoff on Saturday. The Wildcats-Tar Heels game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will be televised on CBS and streamed on CBSSports.com.
The UK-UNC contest was set after No. 4 UCLA announced Friday morning it would not play vs. North Carolina due to COVID-19 issues.
"UCLA's team-related activities have been paused, and the status of future games is to be determined," the school said in a release. The Bruins canceled their game vs. Alabama State on Wednesday less than an hour before tip because of COVID-19 protocols.
The Bruins announcement came after No. 15 Ohio State's announcement on Thursday that its game vs. the Wildcats was canceled due to COVID-19 cases within the Buckeyes' program. That game was scheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET in Las Vegas as part of the CBS Sports Classic, and it will not be made up, according to Ohio State.
Additionally, Ohio State is suspending all team activities for an unspecified amount of time, with the program noting that the status of its future games "is to be determined." The Buckeyes are scheduled to host Tennessee-Martin on Tuesday and New Orleans on Dec. 28 before resuming Big Ten play at Nebraska on Jan. 2.
The cancellations come as a national uptick in COVID-19 cases has caused disruptions to sports across the country. College basketball is among those grappling with the issue. As of early Friday afternoon, 11 programs were paused due to COVID.
College basketball Saturday on CBS and CBSSports.com
- Noon ET: Jerry Colangelo Classic: No. 5 Gonzaga vs. Texas Tech (in Phoenix)
- 3 p.m. ET: Louisville at Western Kentucky
- 5:30 p.m. ET: CBS Sports Classic: No. 21 Kentucky vs. North Carolina (in Las Vegas)
