The Houston Cougars could have their star participant for Saturday’s second-round recreation in opposition to the Auburn Tigers.
Marcus Sasser, Houston’s main scorer, will begin on Saturday with no minutes restriction, in accordance with a report by Stadium.
Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser (0) celebrates hitting a key 3-pointer throughout a recreation in opposition to the Tulane Inexperienced Wave on the Fertitta Middle Feb 22, 2023, in Houston. (Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures)
Sasser injured his groin within the AAC match and didn’t play within the Cougars’ championship recreation loss to the Memphis Tigers.
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On Thursday, Sasser performed however appeared to worsen the harm within the first half in opposition to No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky, ending the sport with simply 14 minutes.
Sasser, who averages 16.7 factors, stated Friday he’ll be enjoying come tipoff Saturday in opposition to the Razorbacks.
“I’m enjoying 100%. It’s not a game-time resolution,” Sasser informed Fox26 Friday. “I’m going to undergo apply right now, undergo warmups tomorrow and simply be prepared.
Marcus Sasser (0) of the Houston Cougars appears to be like to shoot within the first half throughout the first spherical of the 2023 NCAA Event at Legacy Area on the BJCC March 16, 2023, in Birmingham, Ala. (Andy Hancock/NCAA Pictures by way of Getty Pictures)
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“You may reinjure it,” he added. “You reaggravate it, however that’s not in my head. I’m simply saying my prayers. And simply acquired to attempt to go on the market and play to my full power.”
Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson informed reporters Friday he’d depart the choice to play to Sasser and the Houston coaching workers.
Houston guard Marcus Sasser brings the ball up throughout the first half of a first-round NCAA Event recreation in opposition to Northern Kentucky in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, March 16, 2023. (AP Photograph/Butch Dill)
“I cope with his harm like I’ve handled each harm of a child that we have had. … I do not make any choices,” Sampson stated, in accordance with ESPN. “Individuals stated, ‘Why did you play him?’ I did not. I play him if he is wholesome. The coach thinks he can go, and the child thinks he can go. I belief Marcus. … If Marcus is damage, he’ll say, ‘Coach, I can not go,’ after which I will not play him. If he is on the market and he can play, then which means he can play. So he’ll play as many minutes as he can tomorrow night time. I do not know what number of minutes that’ll be, however that’ll be as much as Marcus.
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“He is our greatest participant, I do know that. However I do not deal with him any totally different than I deal with anyone else in the event that they’re injured. I deal with all of them the identical.”
The No. 1 seed Cougars and the No. 9 seed Auburn Tigers tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET in Birmingham, Alabama.
