It’s been almost a month without any Syracuse Orange women’s basketball play. No Coach Q fashion statements. No behind-the-back Tiana Mangakahia assists. No Emily Engstler dominant blocks. The only stories coming out of Central New York in the past three weeks have been cancelations and postponements of games due to the ongoing pandemic.
On Thursday, the Virginia Cavaliers women’s basketball team announced that they will not complete the remainder of the season due to COVID-19 concerns. The Cavaliers are the second Atlantic Coast Conference team to opt-out of the 2020-21 season, following the Duke Blue Devils announcement on Dec. 25. Both Virginia and Duke only played a handful of games this season, having to postpone or cancel multiple contests due to COVID protocols.
Syracuse is currently in a similar boat as their ACC foes: the Orange have had six games canceled or postponed due to COVID-19, with countless more changes in the ACC as a whole. With less three months left in the season, where does the conference, and the NCAA, go from here?
As a Syracuse fan and writer, I want to see the Orange play out the season. I want to see Mangakahia make her full comeback to the court. I want to see Engstler’s full progression after her transformation this summer. I want to see the freshman class compete. But this isn’t about what I want, or what any fan or media member wants. This is about what will protect the safety and health of the players, coaches, and program/game day staff.
With every postponement and cancellation announcement in the last month, I have reflected on whether Syracuse will or should play again this season. I still don’t have the answer. I don’t know what will happen if the season gets canceled. I don’t know what will happen if the season continues. I wish I could make a definitive statement about whether the Orange should continue to compete, but I just can’t.
Despite the multiple changes of plans, Coach Q and his team seem committed to playing out the year. If all goes according to plan, Syracuse has 15 games left on its schedule. So, I am going to follow Syracuse’s lead here and throw out some ideas that could potentially keep the season going.
- Requiring players to wear masks during competition
I’m taking a page right out of the DePaul Blue Demons’ playbook. DePaul WBB has successfully played 10 games this season with only one contest canceled and two future games postponed. How? The Blue Demons take COVID protocol one step further by having players wear masks during some of their games. The NCAA does not currently require players to wear face masks during competition, but maybe they should consider it. This may not be the answer to the COVID problem, but an added layer of protection during games could help decrease the number of players in contact tracing protocol.
- March Madness Bubble
Having a mostly COVID-safe environment for sports competition can be done. Look at the WNBA, NWSL, NBA, and other leagues that went the bubble route. Will a bubble work for the NCAA Tournament in March? There isn’t any official word on what exactly the women’s tournament will be, but the championship will be held in one geographic area and the NCAA is in preliminary talks with San Antonio, Texas. I think holding the tournament in a bubble is a great idea. The problem here is whether the season will last till March or will whether there will be enough teams to compete come postseason time.
- Postponing the season until vaccines are easily accessible
In most states, vaccines are still in the early roll-out phases, meaning they are only available to at-risk groups like the elderly and front line workers. The NCAA could postpone the season until late spring/early summer when, hopefully, the vaccine will be easily available to everyone.
- Canceling the season
What I assume to be the final option: cancel the season. This is may be the best option strictly based on preventing the spread of COVID, but will athletic departments survive another year without a basketball tournament? How many athletic staff members will be cut? How many programs will be cut? Canceling the season may be an easy solution to some, but many athletic departments may never recover from another canceled season.
What are your thoughts on the Orange playing through the year? Do you have any other ideas on COVID solutions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Finally, ‘Cuse is expected to return to the court Sunday in the Carrier Dome to battle Miami at noon on your local RSN.