Allonzo Trier has mild knee sprain, might play vs. UConn on Thursday

It doesn’t look like Arizona will be without its leading scorer for very long

The Arizona Wildcats won’t be without their leading scorer for very long.

Maybe not even for one game.

Allonzo Trier might play Thursday against the UConn Huskies, despite suffering a left knee injury Monday against North Dakota State, head coach Sean Miller said on his weekly radio show.

Miller said Trier has a mild knee sprain, a bone bruise, and “a little swelling” but the Wildcats are hopeful he will be good to go against the Huskies.

Here is Miller’s complete quote on the matter (which was transcribed by Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star):

“We’re very fortunate with the way we look at Allonzo, and we had a lot of information today, more than we had (Monday) night after the game. He really has a mild knee sprain. I caution the word mild because he has a little swelling. Part of what caused his discomfort or injury was just the banging or colliding of knees moving at full speed. He has a bruise there as well, and he’s definitely sore.

"We expect him to make a full recovery, and hopefully as we get through the rest of (Tuesday and Wednesday) he will be able to play against UConn. I don’t have (a statement saying) 100 percent is he gonna play or what percent he will be if he does play, but what we’re hoping is he settles in over the next day or two and gets confident in his own mind.

“He has almost full range of motion, which is also a great sign. If what he has in terms of discomfort can subside, he’ll be able to go. I know he wants to. We certainly won’t put him out there unless it’s safe for him, and also good for both him and our team.”

Trier banged knees with NDSU’s Paul Miller in the second half of Monday’s game and did not return.

The Wildcats would probably be OK without Trier against UConn — the No. 100 team in college basketball, per KenPom — but they will certainly need him next Saturday when they host No. 3 ASU in their Pac-12 opener, so resting him Thursday wouldn’t be the worst idea.

Brandon Randolph would likely start in his place if he sits out.

Trier is averaging 21.7 points, 3.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 12 games this season. Arizona has won six straight heading into Thursday’s game.

---

Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts http://ift.tt/2DjmuF1
via IFTTT