Hofstra Head Coach Joe Mihalich On Cancellation Of NCAA Tournament: 'We're On Cloud 9 And 36 Hours Later, Step Into A Nightmare'
(CBSNewYork)- The Hofstra Pride men's basketball team experienced the highest of highs followed by the lowest of lows in the span of just 48 hours. On Tuesday night, the team, led by head coach Joe Mihalich, was elated, having earned the program's first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2001 by winning the Colonial Athletic Association tournament.
Then, on Thursday, the team saw that bid disappear as the NCAA announced the cancellation of this year's tournament in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Of course, public health and safety are at the forefront of that decision and of utmost importance. But that doesn't negate the feelings of hurt and disappointment for the Pride.
"We were gutted. Gutted. Devastated. Just absolutely devastated," said Mihalich by phone Friday. "On Tuesday night, literally, the dream comes true. We're on cloud nine, and 36 hours later, we step into a nightmare. It was just really, really sad and hard to believe."
The Pride starting lineup featured three seniors, who had experienced the heartbreak of losing the championship game in 2019 before getting over the hump this year. Guards Desure Buie, Eli Pemberton and Tareq Coburn spent four years plying their trade, working towards the goal of the tournament. Having finally made it, coach Mihalich said it was difficult to tell those guys they wouldn't be able to go because of the tournament's cancellation.
"They were tearful for starters, from both ends," said Mihalich of the conversations. "It's a hard message to deliver. These guys earned their way into the NCAA Tournament. They won a championship. They became an automatic qualifier and the tournament got cancelled. It's just surreal."
For those seniors, this is the end of their NCAA eligibility and possibly, their basketball careers. For Mihalich, he would like to see the NCAA do something with regards to eligibility for the players affected. But, while he understands the seriousness of the situation, he wishes that the NCAA had postponed the tournament until May rather than cancelling it altogether.
"The short answer to that is yes," said Mihalich in regards to the NCAA finding a solution to eligibility for seniors whose seasons were affected. "I wish we would not give up on playing this tournament. I wish we would still have Selection Sunday, with the notion that hey, let's wrap our arms around this pandemic. Let's take care of this world health issue, and let's have the tournament in May. Let's call it May Madness."
While the tournament and many other conference tournaments were cancelled in an earth-shattering news day on Thursday, the CAA had played its tournament in Washington, D.C. over the prior weekend. But the conference did not avoid being touched by the coronavirus, as one of the officials who worked the tournament tested positive for the coronavirus.
According to the league's statement, the official did not show any symptoms until 72 hours after the game he had officiated, a first-round matchup between North Carolina Wilmington and Drexel. Coach Mihalich said that the conference informed the teams involved, telling them to self-monitor the situation and that no one had shown any symptoms to his knowledge.
"It was in the 8-9 game, in the Wilmington-Drexel game. Both university doctors at Drexel and Wilmington said to self-monitor the situation, and if there are any symptoms, let us know," said Mihalich. Nobody had any symptoms. So I think that's done."
The Wilmington Star reported today that UNCW staff and players have self-quarantined off-campus in response to the incident. Hofstra officials told News 12 Long Island that the official who had tested positive did not work any of the Pride's games.
For Mihalich and the Pride moving forward, the focus is now on the amazing season that his team had. The team completed the rare conference double, taking home both the regular season and post-season conference titles, while winning the CAA conference tournament for the first time.
"That's what we're going to focus on," said Mihalich. "I told the guys, not going to this tournament isn't fair, but life isn't fair. But what we do have is the incredible memory of our last game being the one that we played where we walked off the floor with the nets around our neck. And we climbed up the ladder with scissors, and we were on the stage and got a trophy and all that stuff. That's where we're at."
"We have to understand that this is a world problem," continued Mihalich. "There is a pandemic. There is a world medical emergency and we have to respect that."
Though not being able to play in the tournament hurts, the 2019-20 Hofstra team put together a resume that ranks as one of the best in program history, something Mihalich won't let his guys forget.
"We're going to remember that we are a team that may one day be in the Hall of Fame here at Hofstra," said Mihalich. "We'll go down as one of the all-time greats. We did something nobody else ever did. And we're proud of that."
