PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Villanova has dealt with a host of postponements this season due to coronavirus-related issues. A COVID-19 concern with a Big East opponent is the latest cause for a pause in game action.
Villanova was scheduled to play at Connecticut Thursday night, but a referee working Tuesday's game at UConn has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The positive test has forced the Huskies to postpone both of their games this week.
The Wildcats and head coach Jay Wright can certainly sympathize with the Huskies after dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks of their own this season.
"I really feel bad for Connecticut," said Wright. "I feel bad for anybody that goes through this after having gone through it now. It's tough to tell the kids, but this is nothing compared to when it's the other way around."
This week's postponement is one of many the Wildcats have had to deal with in their 2020-21 campaign.
This comes in a year when the schools are doing everything they can to keep the players, coaches, and everyone else on campus safe. As the Wildcats prepare for what they hope will be their next game on Saturday, they continue to take every precaution possible.
"We’ve got pretty tough protocols around here," Wright said. "We’re trying to just keep our players healthy, keep them mentally healthy, keep them getting better every day and then just getting in as many games as we can."
That has been easier said than done in the year of the pandemic.
Wright has often talked about the mental and physical toll on his players as they continue to try and finish the season, saying the Wildcats would be willing to play three games a week if they can travel safely to make up for some of the games that have been postponed.
But the fear of the unknown will remain for the rest of the season.
"We can’t predict what’s going to happen," Wright said. "But we’ve got to be able to deal with it every day the best we can and have a great attitude, and that’s what they’re doing and they continue to do it."
The Wildcats were expecting to leave for Connecticut on Wednesday. Instead, Wright put them through a practice with a more simulated game situation theme.
It could not make up for the latest postponement, but the Wildcats are more concerned about the health of their Big East rivals than dealing with yet another game put on hold.
"I really sensed in them the disappointment of not playing but a relief that we’re still able to practice having gone through what we did," Wright said. "Our thoughts are with Connecticut."