PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: The Ivy League logo is displayed on chairs on the players bench during a game between the Princeton Tigers and the Pennsylvania Quakers at The Palestra during the semifinals of the Ivy League Basketball Tournament on March 11, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton won 72-64 in overtime. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
Amid concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, the Ivy League has canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments.
Per an official statement from the league, the decision to cancel the events was made with the "health of students as well as the campus and the general community in mind."
The league ruled that regular-season conference champions Yale (men) and Princeton (women) will receive automatic bids to the NCAA tournament.
Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris issued a statement:
“We understand and share the disappointment with student-athletes, coaches and fans who will not be able to participate in these tournaments. Regrettably, the information and recommendations presented to us from public health authorities and medical professionals have convinced us that this is the most prudent decision.”
The Ivy League tournament was scheduled to begin March 13 with the women's semifinals and run through March 15 with the men's championship at Lavietes Pavilion in Boston.
The decision to cancel the basketball tournament comes after Massachusetts state health officials announced the number ofconfirmed or presumptive coronavirus cases in the state increased from 28 on Sunday to 41 on Monday, per Melissa Buja and Marc Fortierof NBC Boston.
The Ivy League was the last Division I conference to implement a tournament starting with the 2016-17 season. Prior to that, the automatic bid went to the league's regular-season champion.
Yale (23-7, 11-3 in conference) will be making its second straight NCAA men's tournament appearance. Princeton (26-1, 14-0 in conference) will be in the NCAA women's tournament for the third consecutive year.
Watch Yale's Miye Oni Throw Down Vicious Highlight Dunk vs. LSU
Mar 21, 2019
BR Video
Miye Oni ended a rim.
His Yale Bulldogs couldn't get past the LSU Tigers on Thursday, losing 79-74, but that didn't stop Oni from absolutely soaring for a monster dunk late in the second half.
After trailing 45-29 heading into halftime, the Bulldogs nearly pulled off an epic comeback, highlighted by Oni's disrespectful jam and Alex Copeland's 24 points.
But LSU made the necessary plays down the stretch to preserve the win and send the Bulldogs home.
