Syracuse's Arinze Onuaku could return to practice by Monday!

College Sports 20 replies 687 views
killer_ewok's avatar
killer_ewok
Posts: 11,379
Mar 12, 2010 6:11pm
GREAT news!!!! The MRI revealed that it's a right quad injury but it's nothing serious. Phew!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/ncaa/wires/03/12/2060.ap.bkc.t25.syracuse.onuaku.0215/
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 12, 2010 6:13pm
Good to hear.
killer_ewok's avatar
killer_ewok
Posts: 11,379
Mar 12, 2010 6:13pm
They may keep him out of the 1st round game but that's smart because it's basically a bye when you're playing a #16 seed. That's an extra 2 days of rest for him.
C
centralbucksfan
Posts: 5,111
Mar 12, 2010 6:21pm
Very good news. Never like to see a team lose a player at anytime, let alone this time of year.
reclegend22's avatar
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 12, 2010 6:25pm
Definitely a plus for the NCAAs.
Rebel_ I.N.S.'s avatar
Rebel_ I.N.S.
Posts: 385
Mar 12, 2010 6:57pm
Great to hear.
jpake1's avatar
jpake1
Posts: 2,389
Mar 12, 2010 9:04pm
Didn't look serious... just his reaction.
S
SJBlueJay20
Posts: 112
Mar 12, 2010 9:09pm
The way he was writhing around on the ground, moaning made it seem serious. While I don't like 'Cuse I'm glad these needless Conference Tournaments didn't end up costing them a shot at the final four/national championship due to losing a star player to injury.
killer_ewok's avatar
killer_ewok
Posts: 11,379
Mar 15, 2010 10:31pm
Well, Onuaku probably won't play in either game this weekend. He should be ready to go for the Sweet 16 if they can get that far without him. He's walking and supposedly feels good but he won't play vs. Vermont and most likely won't go vs. the Gonzaga-Florida State winner.

Not great news because they're probably gonna have to find a way to get to the Sweet 16 minus Arinze. If they do.....he should be ready to go.
killer_ewok's avatar
killer_ewok
Posts: 11,379
Mar 15, 2010 10:34pm
The not-so-bad thing is Kris Joseph was already playing about 30 minutes a game so he'll start now and Rick Jackson will play Center. Jackson has done a pretty darn good job at the 5 when he's been called upon so they're definitely losing size and depth but the guys stepping up shouldn't be a huge problem.
C
centralbucksfan
Posts: 5,111
Mar 16, 2010 9:07am
killer_ewok wrote: Well, Onuaku probably won't play in either game this weekend. He should be ready to go for the Sweet 16 if they can get that far without him. He's walking and supposedly feels good but he won't play vs. Vermont and most likely won't go vs. the Gonzaga-Florida State winner.

Not great news because they're probably gonna have to find a way to get to the Sweet 16 minus Arinze. If they do.....he should be ready to go.
Interesting. I kinda thought 'Cuse was keeping things under wrap for fear the NCAA would drop their seed.
If Fla St happens to win, not having him could hurt as Fla St is big and athletic. That could be an interesting matchup if it happens.
C
cbus4life
Posts: 2,849
Mar 16, 2010 12:55pm
I would hope they can get him back by the 2nd round, never know what can happen facing a rather athletic Florida State team...i am not picking FSU to win, but the 2nd round is always dangerous, and could be a very close one.
C
Cha'DIch
Posts: 65
Mar 16, 2010 6:02pm
The problem is a short bench got even shorter. Jackson will need to stay out of foul trouble. If he doesn't, Jimmy B is going to have to go deep into his bench to find someone to give the Orange quality minutes.
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 16, 2010 7:25pm
Cha'DIch wrote: The problem is a short bench got even shorter. Jackson will need to stay out of foul trouble. If he doesn't, Jimmy B is going to have to go deep into his bench to find someone to give the Orange quality minutes.
didnt Mookie Jones just return from injury. Hes a young guy (Sophomore or RS Freshman, not sure which), but a top 35 player...
killer_ewok's avatar
killer_ewok
Posts: 11,379
Mar 16, 2010 8:12pm
Laley23 wrote:
Cha'DIch wrote: The problem is a short bench got even shorter. Jackson will need to stay out of foul trouble. If he doesn't, Jimmy B is going to have to go deep into his bench to find someone to give the Orange quality minutes.
didnt Mookie Jones just return from injury. Hes a young guy (Sophomore or RS Freshman, not sure which), but a top 35 player...
Yeah, he's back.
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 16, 2010 8:41pm
killer_ewok wrote:
Laley23 wrote:
Cha'DIch wrote: The problem is a short bench got even shorter. Jackson will need to stay out of foul trouble. If he doesn't, Jimmy B is going to have to go deep into his bench to find someone to give the Orange quality minutes.
didnt Mookie Jones just return from injury. Hes a young guy (Sophomore or RS Freshman, not sure which), but a top 35 player...
Yeah, he's back.
Thats good. I mean, certainly isnt going to replace Onuaku. But adding another big time talent to the rotation never hurts.
reclegend22's avatar
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 16, 2010 8:46pm
Laley, are you yet wavering?

I haven't switched anything yet, but only have less than 16 hours to do so before my brackets are due.
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 16, 2010 8:56pm
reclegend22 wrote: Laley, are you yet wavering?

I haven't switched anything yet, but only have less than 16 hours to do so before my brackets are due.
Not a bit. Gonzaga doesnt have what it takes to get it done over Syracuse, with or without Onuaku.

FSU could be a tough game though. Alabi would pose an issue, but I dont think that team is disciplined at all to work the zone. I would see them turning it over and chucking bad shots all day long. Defensively they can check Syracuse pretty well without Onuaku, especially Chris Singleton. But offensively I have a feeling I would jsut be laughing the whole game at FSU and their offensive execution.


Gonzaga like I said is disciplined enough to work, take care of the ball, and take good shots. But I dont think they will have enough to stop Syracuse and I dont think they can score enough. Bouldin is a penetrator not a shooter, and thats a problem because playing Syracuse you need a shooting PG or a PG who can penetrate the zone. Bouldin, imo, is not athletic enough to penetrate it.

And yes I realize Goodsen is their PG, but hes a sophomore, Im not worried a bit about him carrying them. He is a terrible shooter.
wildcats20's avatar
wildcats20
Posts: 27,794
Mar 16, 2010 8:58pm
Coach said today on Mike and Mike that Onuaku is back to walking but not even close to running yet and that he will keep him out of this weekend's games. He said he would possibly be back for next week.
reclegend22's avatar
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 16, 2010 9:11pm
Laley23 wrote:FSU could be a tough game though. Alabi would pose an issue, but I dont think that team is disciplined at all to work the zone. I would see them turning it over and chucking bad shots all day long. Defensively they can check Syracuse pretty well without Onuaku, especially Chris Singleton. But offensively I have a feeling I would jsut be laughing the whole game at FSU and their offensive execution.
I agree 100%. Florida State has the NBA-like bigs, who have athleticism, length and the ability to run the court, dunk, block shots, etc. Aside from that, they're rarely very efficient in the half court game. And they can't shoot because they have no shooting. There's no Al Thornton or Tony Douglas to save them this time around -- and those two didn't save them then.

Florida State lacks great coaching first of all. Hamilton built a good thing in Coral Cables, went on to tank in the NBA like most college coaches do and has kept FSU from being a doormat in the ACC. Aside from that, he's a mediocre coach. And because of that, the Noles are undisciplined players without a great sense for fundamentals. They're not in as bad a shape as Georgia Tech (another ACC team that will bow out before anyone even notices), but they're in that tier of teams.
reclegend22's avatar
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 16, 2010 9:13pm
As for my Syracuse pick, I probably won't change. Was just wondering what some other people were thinking. More than anything, I was just wondering if anything had changed with Onuaku's current state.