Winter Storm Forces Rescheduling of Basketball Games Across the US
A major winter storm is sweeping across the United States, forcing the rescheduling of numerous basketball games in both the NBA and college leagues. The storm, which meteorologists warn could rival the damage of a major hurricane, is expected to bring snow, ice, and frigid temperatures from New Mexico to New England starting Friday.
Forecasters have issued warnings about the potential for catastrophic damage, widespread power outages, and bitterly cold weather. As a result, sports organizations have had to make swift adjustments to their schedules to ensure the safety of players, fans, and staff.
NBA Adjustments
In the NBA, the start time of the Washington Wizards game against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday has been moved to noon. This change is part of a broader effort to mitigate the impact of the approaching storm. While the game is still set to proceed, the early start time aims to allow for better travel conditions and minimize the risk of disruptions.
Additionally, other NBA games may face similar adjustments in the coming days as the storm intensifies. Teams and league officials are closely monitoring the weather conditions and are prepared to make further changes if necessary.
College Basketball Reschedules
The impact of the winter storm is even more widespread in college basketball, with dozens of games being rescheduled across multiple states. The ACC, for instance, has moved up the start times for three men's basketball games on Saturday: Wake Forest at Duke, North Carolina at Virginia, and Virginia Tech at Louisville.
Xavier has also adjusted its schedule, moving its game against St. John's by one hour. These changes are designed to ensure that games can be played safely and without significant delays due to weather-related issues.
Women's Basketball Adjustments
No. 1 UConn's game at Seton Hall was moved from Sunday to Saturday, and No. 14 Baylor's home contest against Houston was shifted from Sunday to Tuesday. These changes reflect the need to accommodate the unpredictable nature of the storm and ensure that all parties involved can travel safely.
Other women's basketball games, such as Cincinnati's game against Arizona State, have also been adjusted to a noon start on Saturday. The widespread nature of these changes underscores the severity of the storm and its potential impact on travel and game conditions.
Broader Impact on College Sports
The number of states where college games are being adjusted highlights the large path of the approaching storm. The forecast comes exactly a year after another storm forced postponements across U.S. sports, demonstrating the recurring challenges posed by severe weather events.
The Sun Belt Conference has preemptively shaken up its women's basketball schedule, moving around the start times for several games from Thursday through Saturday. The American Conference has also adjusted its weekend men's and women's basketball schedules, moving some games up to Friday.
Specific Game Changes
North Carolina Central has postponed two men's and two women's basketball games scheduled to be played from Thursday through Monday in Durham, North Carolina. Appalachian State moved up its men's basketball home game with Louisiana-Lafayette to Thursday morning, and Marshall made its home game against Louisiana-Monroe a noon Thursday tipoff.
Middle Tennessee State men's basketball moved its Conference USA showdown with Jacksonville State from Saturday to Friday evening. Tennessee's swim meet at Georgia and the USC Upstate women's basketball game at Longwood were pushed to Friday from Saturday because of the forecast.
Among other women's basketball games moved up several hours on Saturday include No. 20 Princeton at Brown and North Florida at Eastern Kentucky, along with men's games involving Towson at North Carolina A&T and Temple at Old Dominion.
Conclusion
As the winter storm continues to move across the country, sports fans and stakeholders are advised to stay informed about the latest schedule changes. The safety of all involved remains the top priority, and sports organizations are working diligently to ensure that games can be played under the best possible conditions.
For the most up-to-date information on basketball games today and beyond, please refer to official league and conference websites and local news sources. Stay safe and enjoy the games!
