As a historic winter storm looms over much of the United States this weekend, significant changes to the schedules of the NBA and college basketball have become necessary.
According to NBA expert Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks have confirmed that their match against the Los Angeles Lakers will proceed as planned on Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. ET.
In an official announcement, the NBA indicated that the game between the Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Hornets, initially slated for 6 p.m. ET, will now tip off earlier at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday in North Carolina.
Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators have opted to adjust their game against Utah, moving it two hours earlier to 1:30 p.m. ET in anticipation of the storm's arrival.
In addition, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has changed the start times for three Saturday games, which includes a matchup featuring No. 5 Duke as they take on Wake Forest.
Here are some other noteworthy schedule updates that have been announced thus far, as reported by the Associated Press:
- St. John's at Xavier (men's college basketball): Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET
- No. 1 Connecticut at Seton Hall (women's college basketball): Saturday at 12 p.m. ET
- Arizona State at Cincinnati (women's college basketball): Saturday at 12 p.m. ET
- Houston at No. 14 Baylor (women's college basketball): Rescheduled from Sunday to Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
The AP report also highlights that the Sun Belt conference proactively modified its schedule for games between Thursday and Saturday, while the American conference advanced multiple men's and women's basketball contests to Friday.
On Saturday, Rice basketball will essentially host consecutive games at Tudor Fieldhouse, with the women's contest against Tulane starting at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the men's game against Tulsa at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Additionally, the women's game between Richmond and George Mason is set to occur on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET, although attendance will be restricted for fans.
According to Weather.com, this "historic" storm is predicted to begin in the southern U.S., extending as far west as Arizona, and will gradually move eastward. This will bring "significant snow and/or ice" to at least 34 states, affecting more than 230 million individuals.
Ice buildup may surpass a quarter of an inch, potentially impacting 11 states from Texas to Virginia the most severely. The combination of icy conditions and high winds could lead to widespread power outages in these regions.
A winter storm warning has been issued for areas between New Mexico and New York. A vast region stretching from the Texas panhandle to the northeastern states, including major cities like New York City and Boston, is projected to receive at least a foot of snow.
