March 18 (UPI) -- The NCAA announced it administered more than 9,100 COVID-19 tests before Thursday night's opening round of the men's basketball tournament, with only eight total positives among Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 personnel.
The organization didn't reveal who tested positive, although one positive test result came from a game official Monday night. That referee and five others who had been in contact were sent home from the tournament site.
All but one school taking part in the men's tournament has spent this week in Indianapolis. The defending champion Virginia Cavaliers, who were forced to withdraw from the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament because of a positive COVID-19 test, are set to arrive Friday afternoon.
Virginia must complete two rounds of coronavirus testing and quarantine before being cleared to practice Saturday at the Indiana Convention Center. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers are scheduled to face No. 13 seed Ohio on Saturday night.
The 68-team tournament began Thursday with the First Four, featuring games at Indiana's Assembly Hall and Purdue's Mackey Arena.
The NCAA previously said there will be no replacement teams in the tournament if a school is forced to pull out due to COVID-19 issues.
