Annor Boateng injury update: Dennis Gates assumes Missouri wing is out for season

Missouri guard Annor Boateng left Saturday’s contest against Mississippi State midway through the second half after suffering a brutal injury. He had to be taken off the floor on a stretcher.

After the game, coach Dennis Gates revealed what many Missouri fans might have feared. Boateng is almost definitely done for the season.

“Definitely speedy recovery to Annor Boateng,” Gates said, addressing the injury in his opening statement of the postgame press conference. “Don’t know the specifics yet, but nine times out of 10 he’ll be out for the remainder of the season. So wanted to at least start off with that.”

After Boateng was injured, the game went into a lengthy delay. It took time for medical staff to tend to him, eventually recommending that he be taken off the floor on a stretcher.

Annor Boateng had gone up for a dunk attempt with 10:46 to go in the second half, but he slipped and immediately reached for his left leg. The training staff came out to attend to him, and the SEC Network broadcast cut to the studio analysts amid the delay.

Boateng was able to get up on his own and sit on the stretcher while his leg was heavily braced. He also showed two thumbs up and made a heart sign with his hands toward the crowd as he headed toward the tunnel. The SEC Network broadcast said it was a left knee injury.

At the time of his departure, Annor Boateng had played three minutes and had two points and two rebounds. He entered Saturday averaging 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds across 14 games as a key piece off the bench for Missouri this season.

Missouri will now almost certainly have to make do without him for the rest of the season. Next up is a contest against South Carolina. That road game will be played next Saturday, giving the Tigers a few extra days to regroup.