SDSU's Basketball Season Ends As NCAA Cancels March Madness

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego State University's men's basketball team will finish their season with a 30-2 record after the NCAA canceled all winter and spring sports championships Thursday, citing concerns about coronavirus.

SDSU won the first 26 games of the season and was the last undefeated team in Division I. The sixth-ranked Aztecs will tie Gonzaga and Dayton for the fewest losses in the country.

"This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities," the NCAA said in a statement.

Junior guard Malachi Flynn was on the shortlist for multiple national basketball awards, including the John R. Wooden Award, which honors the most outstanding player in Division I men's basketball.

The NCAA's cancellation follows an announcement Thursday morning by SDSU that it was suspending all spring sports Thursday.

The Mountain West Conference will also suspend spring sports.

All team activities, including games, tournaments and practices are suspended for this weekend and SDSU officials say they will continue to monitor the situation.

"At this time, there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases in the SDSU community. However, out of an abundance of caution, these preventive measures are being taken to ensure the wellbeing of the campus and regional community. With the health, safety and wellbeing of the entire San Diego State community, as well as the broader San Diego region as the top priority, the athletic department will continue to work with the university, as well as NCAA and local health officials to ensure that best practices are being followed and if additional precautions are advised," the department said in a statement.

SDSU announced Tuesday that it will begin transitioning all classes to virtual instruction by April 6 due to fears of the coronavirus spreading. UC San Diego announced Monday it will move all lecture and discussion courses online starting March 25.

SDSU will make decisions regarding hosting events on a case-by-case basis, while UCSD advised that events expected to have more than 100 people will be canceled, and any campus tours or other events that bring visitors to campus will be canceled for groups of more than 15 people.

Athletic events on the UCSD campus will continue as scheduled, but spectators will not be permitted, according to UCSD.

As updated information becomes available, it will be listed on GoAztecs.com, and changes to scheduled events can be found on the individual team schedule page at that website. Go to SDSU's coronavirus site for additional information and updates: SDSU.edu/COVID19.

– City News Service