BIRMINGHAM, Ala.– Houston Cougars standout Marcus Sasser, that was knocked senseless of Thursday’s gain North Kentucky after worsening a groin injury, claimed he anticipates to play Saturday versus Auburn in the 2nd round of the NCAA event.
” I’m one hundred percent having fun tomorrow,” the American Athletic Seminar Gamer of the Year informed press reporters Friday. “I have actually been doing a great deal of therapy as well as extending as well as massage therapies as well as points like that to prepare.”
Sasser has actually balanced 16.7 factors as well as 3.1 rebounds for the No.1-seeded Cougars this period.
He initially wounded the groin Saturday throughout the AAC event. He really did not play in Sunday’s national championship loss to Memphis as well as did not join method Monday or Tuesday.
Train Kelvin Sampson claimed Sasser exercised for the very first time Wednesday as well as had not been specific to bet North Kentucky up until Thursday early morning. Had he chose to remain due to the injury, Sampson claimed, he would certainly have approved the choice.
Yet Sasser tried to play as well as worsened the injury when he landed hard on a midrange dive fired throughout the very first fifty percent. He played just 14 mins, racking up 5 factors on 2-5 capturing from the flooring.
Without Sasser at complete stamina, Houston battled to do away with No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky, surrendering 21 second-chance factors as well as dedicating 17 turn overs prior to inevitably winning 63-52.
Sasser claimed Friday that he’s attempting not to think of the injury.
While there’s constantly a concern of worsening the injury once more, he claimed, “I simply intend to offer it my all due to the fact that you do not recognize when your last video game is.”
Sampson claimed Friday that he’ll handle Sasser’s injury similarly he has every various other injury throughout his 3 years as a trainer: “It depends on him as well as the instructor.”
” I do not make any type of choices,” he claimed. “Individuals claimed, ‘Why did you play him?’ I really did not. I play him if he’s healthy and balanced. The instructor assumes he can go as well as the child assumes he can go. I rely on Marcus. … If Marcus is harmed, he’ll claim, ‘Train, I can not go,’ and afterwards I will not play him. If he’s around as well as he can play, then that indicates he can play. So he’ll play as lots of mins as he can tomorrow evening. I do not recognize the amount of mins that’ll be, however that’ll depend on Marcus.
” He’s our finest gamer, I recognize that. Yet I do not treat him any type of various than I deal with anyone else if they’re wounded. I treat them just the same.”
Jamal Shead, among 4 Houston gamers that balanced greater than 10 factors per video game this period, additionally claimed he will certainly play. Shead hyperextended a knee in Thursday evening’s win.
