One day before playing in his second national championship game, University of Connecticut guard Solo Ball was revealed to be wearing a walking boot after spraining his ankle.
UConn coach Dan Hurley revealed the news at a national championship press conference the day after his Huskies defeated Illinois to earn the spot in the title game.
‘He’s in a boot, took some type of a foot sprain, so won’t participate in anything today and see how he’s feeling tomorrow,’ Hurley revealed.
Ball, a Virginia native and a junior guard, is a crucial veteran on the Huskies. He dropped his best scoring game so far at the NCAA tournament in Saturday night’s Final Four with 13 points and two assists.
‘I got through it with adrenaline, but it happened in the first half,’ Ball told the media when asked how he hurt himself.
‘I think my foot got caught with [center Tarris] Reed with the screen and it kind of just happened.
UConn guard Solo Ball sprained his ankle and is missing practice on Sunday afternoon
Ball was spotted in a walking boot in the halls underneath Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
Ball is the Huskies’ third-leading scorer for the season and averages the second-most minutes
‘But I’m feeling all right right now. Just leaving it up to the medical staff. I’m doing everything I can to prepare for tomorrow.’
Hurley added, ‘He was able to finish the game. He won’t participate today… it’s going to be tough to get an MRI on Easter, on a Sunday.’
The coach then joked, ‘I don’t know what the hospitals are like in Indiana. Hospitals stay open? Even on Easter, huh? Okay.’
Ball has hit double digit points in his past three March Madness games, but shot a combined 8-for-22 against Duke and Illinois. Across his five NCAA tournament contests, he’s shot 6-for-28 from deep.
For the season, he’s averaging 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game and has the second-most minutes among all Huskies.
Connecticut will face Michigan in the national championship game. The Wolverines are dealing with an injury of their own to star forward Yaxel Lendeborg – who injured his knee and ankle on the same play in their Final Four beatdown of Arizona.
In his pre-game press conference, Michigan head coach Dusty May said Lendeborg’s MRI came back ‘clean’ and that he’s ‘sure he’ll give it a go tomorrow, but that will be up to him and the medical staff.’
