The Houston Cougars have been one of the top programs in college basketball but will be entering the postseason without junior guard Ramon Walker Jr. He did not play in Saturday's 82-76 overtime road victory against the Baylor Bears and coach Kelvin Sampson provided an update on his status.
According to Houston Chronicle's Joseph Duarte, Walker Jr. suffered an apparent knee injury during a practice. The results came back as a torn meniscus that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season.
This is a massive blow to the Cougars as a whole. Walker has been a solid player off the bench, appearing in 24 games this year. In 10.9 minutes, he averaged 2.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.3 steals and 0.4 assists.
The guard position has been a cause for concern for the Houston Cougars as they have been dealing with a few injuries in the backcourt. It will be interesting to see how they navigate it with only a few regular-season games remaining.
What can the Houston Cougars do in the NCAA Tournament after the injury to Ramon Walker Jr.?
The Houston Cougars have been one of the most dominant programs in college basketball this season. They have been a top-five program in the AP Poll for 12 consecutive weeks.
However, they will have to step up now if they want to be a legitimate threat, as they have fallen way short of their lofty expectations in the NCAA Tournament.
Statistically, the injury to Ramon Walker Jr. may not seem too significant in terms of the stats, but with the lack of depth at the guard position, it is a big injury.
This Cougars team prides itself on the defensive end of the court, and they should continue to dominate that side of the ball while having strong offensive numbers.
With a handful of regular season games and the Big 12 Conference Tournament remaining, this gives Kelvin Sampson and his staff a chance to figure out how to replace his minutes going forward.
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