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Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg exits game visibly ill, diagnosed with common cold at hospital

CHAMPAIGN, IL - FEBRUARY 24:  Head coach Fred Hoiberg of the Nebraska Cornhuskers is seen during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center on February 24, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Fred Hoiberg headed to the hospital after exiting Nebraska's Big Ten Tournament game. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

As news was breaking that the NBA had suspended its season after one of its players tested positive for the coronavirus, another potential scare was growing around Nebraska basketball coach Fred Hoiberg.

Hoiberg was looking visibly ill on the bench during Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament game against Indiana in Indianapolis.

Eventually, Hoiberg had to exit the game early and was taken to a hospital, according to Stadium’s Jeff Goodman.

Obviously, it is impossible to know what illness Hoiberg might have at this point — the coach does have a heart condition — but his condition was impossible to ignore as the fear of the coronavirus became real across the sports world. A highly contagious illness has officially reached the highest level of professional sports, and there’s no telling where else it could be.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case with Hoiberg. Nebraska later announced that Hoiberg had been diagnosed with the common cold and has been released by the hospital with no quarantine.

Hoiberg released a statement about his condition on Thursday morning.

Nebraska players were still quarantined

Nebraska ended up losing 89-64 to Indiana. Players did not shake hands after the game, and Nebraska players and coaches did not speak to media after the game.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, security at the arena were tasked with blocking off a hallway for a "sick coach." Later that hallway was cleared for Nebraska players to walk to the locker room. The team was briefly quarantined in the locker room, however it was eventually cleared to leave the arena. Indiana returned to its hotel.

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