'Bows to play without spectators during Big West basketball tournaments

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Big West Conference announced Tuesday that this week’s men’s and women’s basketball tournament will be played without spectators as a precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The Big West tournament begins with women’s early-round games this evening and Wednesday at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University.

The men’s quarterfinal games are scheduled to be played Thursday at the Honda Center, followed by the men’s and women’s semifinals on Friday.

Both championship games will be played at Honda Center on Saturday, March 14.

Basketball fans will not be allowed into either venue for any of the games, conference officials say.

Those who have purchased tickets for the event will receive a full refund.

Members of the NCAA Division I Big West Conference are Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and Hawai’i.

The University of Hawaii men’s basketball team is slated to open the tournament against UC Davis on Thursday, while the Wahine earned a first round bye an will open the tournament on Wednesday.

This story will be updated.