This is an ongoing story and may be updated as more information is made available.

UPDATE: 3:19 PM EST

JOPLIN, Mo. - The NCCAA has announced on Thursday the cancellation of the national Division II men's basketball championship tournament, originally scheduled for March 12-14, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament is not expected to be rescheduled.

The NCCAA has released the following statement:

"Greenville, SC: In concert with Ozark Christian College (OCC) and the Joplin Sports Authority, the NCCAA is canceling the remainder of the Division II Women's & Men's Basketball Championships. Although there are no reported cases of COVID-19 in the Southwest Missouri region, the risks to participants, staff, volunteers, and the people to whom we all minister was deemed too significant. "The NCCAA is appreciative of the Ozark Christian College administration and Joplin Sports Authority leadership for their hosting of these events and for their role in coming to this very difficult and inconvenient decision," shared NCCAA Executive Director, Dan Wood. He added, "we are less logistically and contractually constrained than our NCAA and NAIA peers but felt this was the best decision for our member schools, student-athletes, and the NCCAA, regardless of outside influences. We are certainly aware of the frustration and disappointment of participants and fans alike."

"The NCCAA has a conference call planned for later Thursday to decide on the status of the 2020 Division I Women's & Men's Basketball Championships scheduled for Grace College and the Orthopedic Capital Center in Winona Lake, Indiana, March 17-21. NCCAA Spring Championships will be reviewed and a decision made on those six national championships on or before March 27."

ORIGINAL STORY: 3:14 PM EST

JOPLIN, Mo. - The NCCAA is expected to announce on Thursday the cancellation of the national Division II men's basketball championship tournament, originally scheduled for March 12-14, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, the tournament is not expected to be rescheduled.

The NCCAA is expected to release a statement later this afternoon.

The cancellation of the tournament marks the end of the season for Great Lakes Christian College's team, which earned a three-seed in the tournament. Head coach Richard Westerlund noted that his team's "seniors are taking it hard." The tournament was canceled shortly before the team's 3:00 p.m. EST scheduled first-round tip time. The team finishes with an 18-12 record.

On Wednesday, one day before the tournament was canceled, the NCCAA had released a statement, saying that "the NCCAA and National Championship hosts will continue to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 protocol," and that "at this time, fans are permitted to attend the 2020 Division II Basketball National Championships held at Ozark Christian College without restrictions."

The statement also read, "should the NCCAA amend its policy, it will be communicated on the NCCAA website, the NCCAA app, and social media."

This story will be updated when the NCCAA's expected statement is released and as more information becomes available.