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#Seton Hall’s Kevin Willard: Don’t delay college hoops season

#Seton Hall’s Kevin Willard: Don’t delay college hoops season

July 18, 2020 | 1:14am

Waiting is not the best policy in this situation, Kevin Willard believes.

As more and more conferences postpone fall sports, football season hangs in the balance and talk has picked up of possibly delaying the college basketball season until Jan. 1 — Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino has now twice tweeted that suggestion — Willard thinks that would be a mistake.

“I do not agree with pushing it back, because I think we’re missing a window,” the Seton Hall coach, who is part of the Big East COVID-19 Task Force, told The Post. “Every school has said after Thanksgiving there will be no one on campus, so why would we not take advantage of having no one on campus? It’s almost like being in a bubble and being able to have almost no interaction with any of the students. It’s probably the safest time to play.

“Sitting back and waiting for flu season and waiting for kids to come back on campus is idiotic.”

Willard’s suggestion is playing a conference-only season of 26 or so games in the Big East and starting the season in November. It would take advantage of students being away and also give the league wiggle room if games had to be postponed. The Big East has already moved to playing only conference games in fall sports. The only way Willard would be in favor of non-conference games is if other conferences had similar “strict” testing, safety and travel protocols as the Big East is still in the process of formulating.

“I have to make sure the team I’m playing against is doing the same exact thing I’m doing,” he said.

When asked if he has shared his feelings that Pitino — who he served as an assistant under at Louisville from 2001-07 — is wrong, Willard joked: “I would never tell my old boss that.”

He has told Big East higher-ups and other coaches about his ideas, which a source said were not shot down. No decision has to be made yet. There is plenty of time. Willard said the conference has discussed several plans and is being smart by waiting. He just hopes the season doesn’t get postponed until January. Willard doesn’t see a reward for waiting.

“I think that’s a big mistake. Where is the virus going to go? Vacation? Go skiing?” he asked rhetorically. “Why not take advantage when no one’s on campus. It’s a great opportunity to make sure you can really isolate. As basketball players and teams, we’re used to being on campus by ourselves. We do that for a month on Christmas break. You’re going to send your kids home and then they’re going to be around their families. And then you’re going to have them come back. You’re going to have to isolate them and test them again. … It makes no sense. They’re here. Put your protocols in, put your testing in and play games.”

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