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Image courtesy of Lamar Athletics
Lamar University men’s basketball began the new year with COVID and other illnesses affecting their ability to fairly compete in WAC conference play. In a statement by Lamar Athletics on Jan. 20, the LU men’s basketball program “continues to battle through the WAC.”
Lamar University’s head men’s basketball coach, Alvin Brooks, said the illness started hitting their team around the time the players took a break for Christmas after their nonconference season.
“It came at a time when we were already a little tired,” Brooks said. “We played 13 non-conference games and played 10 of them on the road. We been on the road quite a bit—about 70 hours of travel time in 60 days. So, we took a little break for Christmas, and right around that time, that’s when it started hitting.”
Despite being shorthanded and only having eight players available in their Dec. 30 game against Sam Houston, Lamar was holding the lead with less than eight minutes remaining in the game and then was locked in a tie with less than five minutes remaining.
The Bearkats then escaped with a win after hitting four three-pointers with four minutes and 27 seconds left in the game.
Things did not look good for LU’s men’s basketball program going into 2022 as their Jan. 1 game against Stephen F. Austin was rescheduled to Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Brooks said, following the game against Sam Houston, there were some players that were ill, with one player testing positive.
The team then had to forfeit both their first two WAC home games against New Mexico State on Jan. 6 and Grand Canyon University Jan. 8.
Brooks said the team had seven players that were negative for COVID-19, but he did have one player that was positive for a non-COVID illness that could not play.
WAC rules state that if the team has seven COVID negative players and at least one COVID negative coach, the team must play the game. Since one of the seven players had an illness that was not COVID-19 and could not play, the team had to forfeit their game with a penalty.
Due to the shortage of players, the team was negatively impacted when they returned and played Sam Houston, which they lost 56-73, Chicago State, which they lost 56-67; and their rescheduled game against Stephen F. Austin, which they lost 76-86.
Brooks said every decision that was made was in the best interest of the mental and physical health of the team and was made after consulting with athletics staff, doctors and then Athletic Director Marco Born.
In a statement sent by Derek Schramm, a spokesperson for Lamar University Athletics, the LU men’s basketball team will be heading to Utah for a two-game road trip against Dixie State and Utah Valley.
Both games, against Dixie State Jan. 20 at 8 p.m., and Utah Valley Jan. 22 at 3 p.m., will be streamed on ESPN plus.
The LU women’s basketball team will be playing Dixie State Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Montagne Center and Utah Valley Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. in the Montagne Center.