The Central College men’s basketball team has postponed its first three games of the season for health and safety reasons. The Dutch were slated to open the modified 2021 campaign Saturday against the University of Dubuque at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. That game is intended to be rescheduled, along with a Jan. 27 game at Pella with Buena Vista University and a Jan. 30 contest at Loras College in Dubuque.

Make-up dates have not been determined but athletics director Eric Van Kley said that the American Rivers Conference created a flexible schedule, providing make-up date options before the league tournament that’s tentatively slated to begin March 1. Central is now expected to open the season Feb. 3 at Simpson College.

Meanwhile, the Dutch women’s basketball squad will open its season Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at the University of Dubuque.