Is it going to become normal in future seasons to just cancel games for reasons like you mentioned? I sure hope not. If that’s truly why UNI cancelled, it seems like programs are now using COVID as an excuse to make it okay to not play games. I hope it doesn’t become a trend in the future.
I think (and really hope) that all of these cancellations and postponements are an anomaly, and not a future trend in non-COVID affected seasons. Players and coaches want to compete and play, but for some programs and players going forward as normally as possible in a very abnormal season reaches a point of diminishing returns.
I forgot to mention that UNI also had a home game against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay cancelled due to COVID concerns. They will play a total of 5 non-conference games before MVC play. With today's cancellation (or postponement?) ISU will have a total of 6 non-conference games (and that's assuming that the game against Mississippi State still happens, which is no sure thing). I hate to agree with a sleazeball like Rick Pitino on anything, but I really am beginning to agree with him that the college basketball season should have been postponed until the springtime when COVID is (God willing) more under control. This season has been an unholy mess so far, and I think it's making for some bad basketball. I don't think that beating up on an undermanned Chicago State team later on today would have necessarily put us in a position to upset Baylor, but for a team like ISU with a lot of new players in the rotation that the more game time together the better in the long run. I think that's why Iowa (hate to write it) has been as impressive as they've been so far; those guys have played together for a long time now and really have their chemistry dialed in. We don't yet, and having games being cancelled left and right isn't helping.