With North Carolina’s game versus Miami for Monday night postponed, what does this mean for the Tar Heels moving forward?

The UNC student paper, Daily Tar Heel, released a video Monday morning of Tar Heels basketball players Day’Ron Sharpe and Armando Bacot “partying” with fellow students late Saturday night following Carolina’s 91-87 victory at Duke.

Later Monday afternoon, the Raleigh News & Observer reported UNC was testing the players and head coach Roy Williams would make a statement following the Miami game, which was set to tip off at 7 pm.

The ACC, however, released a statement at 5 pm noting the game had been postponed, with reports circulating Miami was uncomfortable playing the game because Sharpe and Bacot had not been ruled out. Furthermore, UNC practiced Sunday, which could have compromised the other players on the team.

As for UNC moving forward, as of when this piece was written, no decisions have been made or revealed.

This makes two home games for the Tar Heels that may not be made up. A game versus Clemson at the Smith Center in January likely will not be made up, and now this contest versus the Hurricanes.

UNC’s next game is slated for Saturday at Virginia and Miami doesn’t play again until Sunday at Notre Dame. Conceivably, the Tar Heels and Hurricanes could play later this week, but that depends on how the ACC and two schools handle this, and then they must agree to playing.

In November, the league updated its requirements, but also added this, which might be where the situations involving Bacot and Sharpe, and perhaps the rest of the team, fit in:

“While in season, any team member who leaves the institution for more than three days (ex. NCAA-mandated holiday break), must quarantine for 24 hours upon return to campus. During quarantine, team members will be tested with a molecular (PCR) test and may return to practice if, and when, the result is negative. In addition, team members must record a second negative test (either PCR or antigen) prior to the first competition following the break.”

However, since there is no knowledge the two Tar Heels were in contact with anyone who is positive, and there appears to be no precedent set for a case such as this, erring on the side of caution has been the norm in the ACC, so it’s possible the Tar Heels will be forced to quarantine for the duration of the incubation period.

According to the CDC on its official site: “The incubation period for COVID-19 is thought to extend to 14 days, with a median time of 4-5 days from exposure to symptoms onset. One study reported that 97.5% of people with COVID-19 who have symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

UNC released a statement by Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham on Monday evening:

“We are disappointed that tonight’s game against Miami is postponed and hope that every effort will be made to re-schedule the game.”

So far, only six of Carolina’s 18 games have been at the Smith Center, but a stretch of three out of four games at home was to begin Monday night. After Miami, UNC is scheduled to travel to Virginia on Saturday before hosting Virginia Tech and Louisville the following week. As of now, those games are in question given the ACC’s contact tracing protocols.

UNC is 12-6 overall and 7-4 in the ACC, and the Tar Heels have won seven of their last nine games.