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Head coach Shaka Smart of the No. 5 Texas Longhorns has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is currently in quarantine according to an announcement from Texas Athletics today.
— Shaka Smart (@HookEmSmart) January 25, 2021
Whether the team will need to enter contact tracing protocols or pause team activities is unknown at this time. Texas is 11-2 this season, 5-1 in the Big 12, and has been one of the feel good stories of this unusual college basketball season.
The ‘Horns are scheduled to play Oklahoma on Tuesday night at home, then travel to Lexington to face the reeling Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington on Saturday. A stoppage to the season wouldn’t be great for a team that has won six of their last seven, and is in the Top 15 nationally in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency.
Freshman forward Greg Brown, as well as rotation players Kai Jones and Brock Cunningham were held out of UT’s 82-67 win over Kansas State last Saturday. Their status is unknown for tomorrow night’s game.