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This will not be the scene Saturday morning at UVM’s Patrick Gymnasium, which was scheduled to host a game between the men’s basketball team and one from the University of Hartford. UVM photo

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BURLINGTON — The University of Vermont’s men’s basketball championship game scheduled for Saturday at Patrick Gymnasium has been canceled over concerns about the coronavirus.

The announcement came Thursday afternoon, just hours after the conference had said attendance at the game between UVM and Hartford would be limited to the family of team members, media and “essential game management personnel.”

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Fans who bought tickets to the game — originally scheduled for 11 a.m. on ESPN2 — will be refunded in full, according to the conference’s announcement.



The decision to bar spectators had been “made based on new information, including the recommendation of the NCAA’s COVID-19 advisory panel, and under the advisement of public health officials to limit large gatherings due to coronavirus,” the conference said in its press release.



UVM Athletics Director Jeff Schulman shared that news in an email to fans Thursday morning. Schulman wrote that he had informed players of the decision Wednesday, and said while the situation was disappointing, he respected the conference’s decision.



“Our top priority will always be the safety of our players, staff and spectators and this decision is consistent with that,” Schulman wrote in the morning email. “America East is one of many Division 1 conferences, along with the NCAA, that have chosen to take this step and fulfill the responsibility that we all have to limit the spread of coronavirus and support local health officials wherever possible.”



A tweet from @UVMathletics Wednesday night provided an “update” on the status of the title game. In it, Schulman said: “We are in conversations tonight with the America East office and plan to make an announcement in the morning.”



Schulman wrote Thursday that information on how to receive a ticket refund would be sent out shortly to ticket-holders, and those with questions could call the university’s ticket office at 802-656-4410.



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The winner of the game between UVM and Hartford was to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament — if the tournament proceeds as scheduled. As of Thursday afternoon, the NCAA plans to hold the tournament without fans. The tournament is set to start next week.



But Thursday a slew of conferences announced that they would be canceling their conference tournaments, with the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, American Athletic Conference and SEC announcing their conference tournaments are canceled.

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