Chicago State will stop playing men’s basketball for the rest of the season, the university announced Wednesday.
The Cougars (0-9) canceled Tuesday’s game at Iowa State because only five players were available.
They have been competing with only one coach and a dwindling number of players in recent games, down to only six games against Illinois State on Dec. 15 and with seven players in the following two games.
“It was a difficult decision, but a necessary decision in order to prioritize the health, wellness, and academic success of the student athletes,” said athletic director Elliott Charles in a statement.
The Cougars’ 14 other sports, including women’s basketball, will continue to compete.
Chicago State said scholarships will be honored and players will be offered an additional season of eligibility, per NCAA rules devised during COVID-19.
Charles described the recurring injuries to multiple players like a game of “whack-a-mole.” He told the Tribune on Wednesday the injuries aren’t long-term but it became hard to manage while continue playing the season.
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“It was a carousel happening with different students,” he said. “It became a challenge for coaches to hone in on how to fix issues in practice and competition. With extensive travel coming in, it would be difficult to catch up.”
The decision coincides with the end of the semester and before Western Athletic Conference play begins.
Charles said he doesn’t foresee stopping college basketball having “direct financial implications.”
The program was hoping to reschedule games called off against Iowa State and DePaul (because of Blue Demons’ COVID-19 protocol). The Cyclones were set to pay Chicago State about $40,000 for the game, while DePaul was contracted to pay about $70,000, Charles said.
Around the beginning of the month, Charles said the administration “had some serious conversations week to week,” including polling athletes.
Most players had voiced the need to postpone with its limited roster ahead of the Loyola game, sources said, but the athletic department determined they would play anyway.
Charles also said the team did not have COVID-19 cases during the season. He said two other players who started in practices this season were unable to play because of “NCAA rules.”
Chicago State coach Lance Irvin, a two-time cancer survivor, has been serving in more of a consulting role while coaching from afar during the pandemic.
Assistant coach Rodell Davis was the only coach on the bench for Chicago State’s 88-51 loss at Loyola on Dec. 9. Assistant coach Tommy Strine missed the game to tend to a family issue and assistant Justin Bowen resigned earlier this season.
Charles said he couldn’t comment about “personnel matters” when asked about Irvin’s decision.
“I have partnered with Coach Irvin since last season with all the things that impact our students and that hasn’t changed,” said Charles, who was hired in November 2019.
The last several games have been coached solely by Davis and a basketball operations person who moved into a pseudo-assistant role.
The Cougars, who compete in the Western Athletic Conference, were scheduled to play next on Jan. 8 against University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Chicago State has struggled for years with a lack of resources, extensive cross-country travel in the WAC and frequent departmental turnover. The university also has had financial struggles over the years.
The future of the program seems murkier with this decision.
“We reiterate men’s basketball is a key element of propelling the university forward,” Charles said. “I know that our leadership, our administration believes that. We’re trying to find a way to get to that point.”