Iowa women's basketball: Hawkeyes' trip to Rutgers postponed after Scarlet Knights' positive COVID-19 tests

IOWA CITY, Ia. —For the second time this season, the Iowa women's basketball team has encountered a COVID-19 postponement by way of an opponent. 

The Hawkeyes' game Sunday against Rutgers has been postponed because of positive coronavirus tests within the Scarlet Knights program. Iowa is still scheduled to face Maryland on Thursday afternoon in College Park.  

The decision to pause and postpone was made jointly by the Rutgers department of athletics and its sports medicine staff in consultation with the Big Ten Conference,” an Iowa release read. "Both institutions will work with the Conference office to identify potential rescheduling options later this season," according to the release.

Iowa's only other COVID postponement came Dec. 18, when issues at Ohio State axed the Hawkeyes' scheduled trip to Columbus, Ohio. Considering the turbulence other programs have endured, having just two schedule adjustments at this point in the season feels like an accomplishment. 

It was later announced Tuesday that Iowa won't face Maryland either this week, in hopes of avoiding potential inauguration issues in the Washington D.C. area. The Hawkeyes are next scheduled to face Northwestern on Jan. 28.

Dargan Southard covers Iowa and UNI athletics, recruiting and preps for the Des Moines Register, HawkCentral.com and the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.