clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The CDC (!) may have just thrown Xavier a lifeline

That is a sentence that makes total sense in the 2020 basketball season.

NCAA Basketball: Eastern Kentucky at Xavier
This news is a slam dunk (basketball term)!
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

So this just happened on Twitter:

Colby Jones, as you may well know, is currently in coronavirus purgatory, quarantining along with CJ Wilcher and Zak Sweyte after all three were exposed to someone who had tested positive. The timeline of the exposure wasn't specifically articulated, but internet speculation and a little bit of math had the trio out until after the Shootout. As recently as the post-game presser on Monday, Coach Steele wasn't able to be specific regarding a return date for them.

Without knowing when they were exposed, it's hard to say when they might be back, but obviously lopping 4-7 days off of that is a good thing... in basketball terms. Focusing just on that, it's hard not to see this as a potential win for Xavier, as they would boost their scholarship player manpower by 25% in a single move.

Of course, this season isn't just about basketball. I don't have any medical training beyond the 10 weeks I got at a previous job reviewing disability claims, and I don't think any of that information is pertinent here. I can't speculate as to what might have caused the CDC to suddenly decide 10ish months into a global pandemic that the previous timeline for quarantine was too cautious - especially not as numbers climb all over the nation.

This could be a good thing for Xavier. Beyond that, consult a physician or epidemiologist.