In a statement released on Twitter, the NCAA announced on Thursday the cancellation of both the Men's and Women's College Basketball Tournament due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In addition to the basketball tournament, the NCAA has also canceled all remaining winter and spring championship events.

Ahead of the NCAA's decision, conference tournaments came to a halt Thursday morning, starting with Commissioner Mike Aresco — who canceled the American Athletic Conference tournament set to take place in Fort Worth. After making their return back to Houston, Cougars' head coach Kelvin Sampson said Aresco made the right decision.

"I really don't know how to react to this," Sampson said. "It's such a fluid situation. When something like this comes about, I think we are doing it the right way. The students that just got off the bus are my responsibility, and I am more concerned about their health then preparing for a basketball game."

Nearly all sporting events and leagues have already taken this action, starting with the NBA, following the news that the Utah Jazz's All-Star center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus Wednesday night. For the NCAA, NBA, and all other sports league, this was an inevitable decision to ensure safety for its athletes, coaches, and fans.