Villanova men’s basketball coach Jay Wright tested positive for COVID-19 and the No. 5 Wildcats has paused activities.

Wright says in a statement issued Sunday by Villanova that he another staff member tested positive. Wright says he has been experiencing mild symptoms.

Villanova’s game against Xavier scheduled for Saturday has been postponed, but the school outside Philadelphia says no determination has been made for games beyond this week. The next game on the Wildcats’ schedule is Jan. 5 at DePaul.

Earlier this month, Wright got St. John’s to agree to postpone a Big East matchup scheduled for Dec. 30 so the Villanova players could be off over the holidays, with Wright saying they “needed a break.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Syracuse University paused all women’s basketball-related activities and contact tracing is underway after a positive COVID-19 test was confirmed within the program.

The 22nd-ranked Orange women have also canceled a game against Morgan State scheduled for Monday night. The team is adhering to all public health guidelines. Syracuse’s next scheduled game is Thursday at home against North Carolina.

The Orange women weren’t the only ones to go on pause. Mississippi also has coronavirus issues within the Rebels’ women’s basketball program.

Their game against No. 5 South Carolina on Thursday night has been postponed. The fifth-ranked Gamecocks last played Dec. 17 against Temple. They’re next game is scheduled for Jan. 4 at Alabama. South Carolina said in a release that game could not be played due to a combination of positive COVID-19 tests, contact tracing and quarantining individuals according to SEC protocols. There has been no makeup date announced for the contest.

FOOTBALL: The Music City Bowl between Missouri and Iowa was canceled Sunday because COVID-19 issues left the Tigers unable to play.

The Nashville, Tennessee-based game scheduled for Wednesday is the second bowl called off since the postseason lineup was set on Dec. 20, joining the Gasparilla Bowl.

Missouri Athletic Director Jim Sterk said in a statement the football team had a “significant increase in positive COVID-19 tests among our student-athletes, coaches and staff” since the end of the regular season.

Overall, 18 bowl games scheduled to be played this season have been canceled.

SOCCER

PREMIER LEAGUE: Wolves striker Raul Jimenez made a welcome return to Molineux for the first time since sustaining a fractured skull and saw teammate Romain Saiss score an 86th-minute equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw against Tottenham in the Premier League.

Jimenez hasn’t attended a Wolves game since he was injured in a clash of heads playing for the team in a match at Arsenal on Nov. 29.

• Liverpool dropped points at Anfield for the first time this season after conceding an 82nd-minute equalizer to draw 1-1 against lowly West Bromwich Albion.

SPANISH LEAGUE: Lionel Messi will miss Barcelona’s game against Eibar on Tuesday while he recovers from an unspecified ankle injury.

TENNIS

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray has been given a wild-card entry into the first Grand Slam tournament of next year.

Former top-ranked Murray has slipped to No. 122 in the ATP rankings after several years of battling hip injuries and surgery.

The rescheduled Australian Open will be played from Feb. 8-21, three weeks later than the original date in order to allow players and officials to spend 14 days in quarantine once they arrive in Australia. The players will be allowed five hours of practice each day at Melbourne Park, but must stay confined to their hotel rooms otherwise.

 

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