Puerto Rico Tipoff, which includes Mizzou, moved to Orlando because of Zika

This year’s Puerto Rico Tipoff men’s basketball tournament, which includes Missouri, will move to Orlando, Fla., because of concerns about Zika virus on the island.

In a news release posted Monday on the tournament website, ESPN Events senior vice president Pete Derzis said the concern for the welfare of participants and spectators was “the primary driver” in the decision. Derzis said the plan is to return to Puerto Rico in the future.

ESPN Events, a division of the sports network, owns and operates the tournament.

“Orlando will undoubtedly be a great host for our traveling Mizzou fans,” Missouri coach Kim Anderson said in a release, “and we are looking forward to the challenge that this tournament presents.”

The eight-team tournament will move from Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It will keep its original Nov. 17-20 schedule, as well as the field of Xavier, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Clemson, Davidson, Missouri, Northern Iowa and Tulane.

Miami (Fla.) won the event last November.

This story was originally published September 26, 2016 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Puerto Rico Tipoff, which includes Mizzou, moved to Orlando because of Zika."