First, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff basketball teams were going to go from Houston to Grambling, La. Then, UAPB interim Athletic Director Chris Robinson kept the door open for hosting Grambling State today as scheduled.
Robinson opted for the latter, but that plan got canceled as well.
Robinson announced last Saturday that the Golden Lions' and Lady Lions' games would be rescheduled after learning the sprinkler system at H.O. Clemmons Arena was not working properly. The university had been closed the past two weeks because of the Feb. 14-17 snowstorm and its effect on the Pine Bluff water system, which causes boiler and sanitation problems on campus because of low water pressure.
The crisis led UAPB to postpone its football season opener against Texas Southern from today to April 24.
UAPB announced Grambling State would visit Pine Bluff at 12:05 p.m. Friday and issued an update at 5:30 p.m. that the games would be postponed.
UAPB's basketball teams have been playing at Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern this week and were not on campus. Some of UAPB's student-athletes have been moved to hotels in Little Rock.
The Golden Lions lost 79-65 at Texas Southern on Thursday despite Dequan Morris' 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting and six rebounds. They have lost 11 in a row and are 3-19 overall (2-11 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference).
The Lady Lions (2-17, 1-12 SWAC) dropped their 12th game in a row, 75-66 to Texas Southern, although Maya Peat led the team with a career-high 17 points and 11 rebounds.
UAPB is scheduled to host Jackson State on Monday. The women's game is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff, with the men to follow at 8 p.m.
Robinson said UAPB has updated its policy not to allow fans at indoor home sporting events as a pandemic precaution. Fans will be permitted at outdoor events such as football, baseball, softball and soccer.
UAPB's baseball team was playing at Jackson State on Friday to start a three-game series. The softball team lost 13-0 to the University of Nebraska at Omaha in Conway and was to play Western Illinois.
The Lady Lions soccer team had its match against Texas Southern in Little Rock moved an hour later than scheduled Friday.