DURHAM, N.C. — Duke's second attempt at opening its basketball season is still on track to occur despite its opponent already canceling two games this week due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Coppin State has arrived in Durham and the teams are preparing to play their game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Eagles were also supposed to open their season with games Wednesday and Thursday at Marshall, facing the host Thundering Herd on Wednesday and Arkansas State on Thursday. But those games were canceled Wednesday when Coppin State announced COVID-19 issues among its Tier 1 personnel following its bus trip to Huntington, W.Va.
According to the NCAA's coronavirus pandemic protocols, Tier 1 personnel includes student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, medical staff, equipment staff and officials. They are individuals in the highest exposure tier, consisting of individuals for whom physical distancing and face coverings are not possible or effective during athletic training or competition.
Upon the cancellation of Coppin State's first two games, medical staffs from Duke and Coppin State began collaborating to determine if their game could be played safely on Saturday. The Eagles players, coaches and staff in their traveling party went through tests for coronavirus administered as part of Duke's testing program with its partner, Mako Medical.
As of Friday morning, those tests had come back negative for COVID-19. The Eagles are undergoing further tests Friday with the results still pending. A positive result would put the game in jeopardy.
Duke was originally scheduled to open its season Wednesday against Gardner-Webb but that game was postponed due to a positive test for coronavirus in the Gardner-Webb program. The schools are attempting to reschedule the game for a December date.
