Coronavirus: ‘Bigger than basketball;’ UD coaches reflect on abrupt end to season

DAYTON — UPDATE @ 1:45 p.m.:

University of Dayton Director of Athletics Neil Sullivan, along with men’s head coach Anthony Grant and women’s head coach Shauna Green held a press conference following the end of the season for both teams due to the coronavirus outbreak.

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“This is bigger than basketball,” Grant said.

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Both Grant and Green said the decisions to cancel the tournaments were understandable, but that didn’t make the job of telling the players any easier.

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“We know it was the right decision but it still doesn’t make it easy,” Green said. “You're talking about the highest of highs, to the lowest of lows, all within 72 hours.”

Grant said the men’s team found out the NCAA Tournament was cancelled while flying back to Dayton from Brooklyn, New York, following the cancellation of the Atlantic 10 tournament.

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FIRST REPORT:

The University of Dayton’s men’s basketball team has returned home after the abrupt end to their season, following the cancellation of the Atlantic 10 and NCAA tournaments due to the coronavirus outbreak.

University of Dayton Director of Athletics Neil Sullivan spoke this morning with 1290 and 95.7 WHIO’s Larry Hansgen on Miami Valley’s Morning News about the end to the season for both the men’s and women’s teams, both who won A-10 titles this year.

“It just got to a point where it made too much sense for everyone, based on all the medical people and the recommendations from the local governments. We certainly respect the conclusion and decision, but it makes it no less disappointing,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said he was able to talk to head coach Anthony Grant moments before he addressed the men’s team with the news.

“(The team) took the news hard, but with the respect that we would all respect.”

Sullivan said the silver lining to the season was that both teams were able to celebrate A-10 titles in UD Arena.

“What really stood out was the togetherness, the connection to the community, the love of each other, and the respect that these young men play with.”