Jesse Zarzuela injury update: Latest on Oregon guard ahead of Kent State clash

The injury crisis continues for Oregon basketball. After Jese Zarzuela missed four straight games with an ankle injury, his latest injury update has marked another blow for the Ducks.

Zarzuela managed just five games after transferring from Central Michigan before his injury forced him off the floor, and Oregon coach Dana Altman said the injury will end Zarzuela's season.

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Jesse Zarzuela injury update

Dana Altman announced Tuesday that senior guard Jesse Zarzuela's ankle injury will prematurely end his season, another injury blow for Oregon (7-3).

“Jesse is going to have surgery; he’s done,” Altman said.

Oregon was already missing all-conference center N'Faly Dante and starting forward Nate Bittle, both of whom underwent surgeries in November.

Expected to play a vital role all season after starting Oregon's first five games, Zarzuela had averaged 10.0 points, 2.2 assists and 2.4 rebounds before going down.

The development comes at a critical juncture as the Ducks (7-3) face mounting personnel problems ahead of hosting Kent State (7-3) on Thursday. Already minus Zarzuela, Dante and Bittle, Oregon will also be without Keeshawn Barthelemy and Mookie Cook due to ankle injuries.

The decimated roster evidenced itself when the Ducks had just seven scholarship players in an ugly 83-63, neutral-site loss to Syracuse on Sunday.

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Jesse Zarzuela's Oregon career in question

With his Oregon season erased prematurely, Jesse Zarzuela's college path next year is unclear.

According to Dana Altman, Zarzuela could seek an additional year of eligibility, but whether he plays again at Oregon is unclear.

“He probably will, yeah (appeal for another year of eligibility),” Altman said. “But we’ve treated him as a graduate student. We’ve awarded two scholarships to two guards already. So, it was kind of a one-year commitment on our part. But he will apply for a redshirt. He only played five games, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

The Ducks have signed four-star guard Vyctorius Miller and JUCO transfer Dez Lindsay for the 2024-25 season, signaling a change in direction for their roster.

The well-traveled guard joined the Ducks as a transfer last offseason following a 2021-22 season at Central Michigan, after previous stops at Coppin State, Missouri State West Plains Junior College and Navarro Junior College since 2019.