By Marty Gordon
With less than a week left until Virginia Tech hosts Radford University in college basketball, ACC school officials have announced there will be no fans in the stands.
On Friday, Nov. 13, Governor Ralph Northam announced new actions to mitigate the spread of
COVID-19 in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Included in these measures, which took effect at midnight on Sunday, Nov. 15, was a reduction in the initial capacity of 1,000 for entertainment and amusement business, including sports venues, to 250 people.
The change will not only affect basketball but the remaining two football games in Lane Stadium.
In a statement, the Virginia Tech Department of Athletics said it continues to work with university and healthcare officials as well as state and local government representatives to determine what these new regulations mean for fan attendance going forward.
“We continue to work through the adjustments necessary for the two remaining home games in Lane Stadium, currently scheduled for Dec. 5 and Dec. 12,” the department’s statement said..
“As of today and due to the statewide order, there is no opportunity to offer tickets to the public for Hokies athletics events held in Cassell Coliseum, beginning with the start of basketball season on Wednesday, Nov. 25,” athletic officials said. “We will continue to monitor the situation and work to provide updates on future plans as we learn more and adapt to the information available.”
Radford University followed suit with the announcement that only family members of players and coaches will be allowed to attend men’s and women’s basketball games at the Dedmon Center.
The Big South Conference, of which Radford is a member, also announced it would allow teams to take the court with seven players in the first game of a double-day schedule and to play with only six players on the second day.
The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team announced its remaining home non-conference
schedule on Wednesday with all three contests taking place in December.
The Hokies will play at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum versus VMI on Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. with the game televised on the ACC Network, Coppin State on Dec. 19 on Regional Sports Networks with the time to be determined and Longwood on Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. on the ACC Network.
As previously announced, Tech will host Radford on Nov. 25 at noon and Penn State on Dec. 8 and will play in Connecticut in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament against Temple on Nov. 28 and the University of South Florida on Nov. 29. Both games will start at 8 p.m.
The time for the ACC-B1G Challenge matchup with the Nittany Lions has yet to be determined.
Radford University and Virginia Tech have previously played ten times with the Hokies claiming eight wins in the series. They last met in 2017, a 95-68 VT win.
Current Virginia Tech coach Mike Young is a Radford High graduate and a former Radford University assistant coach.