How Much Did Chuma Okeke Contribute in the First Two UK/Auburn Matchups?
[caption id="attachment_254605" align="aligncenter" width="954"]
(Photo: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports)[/caption]
Kentucky and Auburn meet again today for the third time this season, this time with a trip to Minneapolis and the Final Four on the line. Aside from which team ended up in the win column, rounds one and two couldn't have gone more differently. The first trip to Auburn was an old school barn burner with UK narrowly escaping with a W, 82-80. The Rupp Arena rematch, on the other hand, went entirely in the Cats' favor. The 80-53 beatdown felt right at home amid the midseason tear UK was on at the time.
The storylines heading into the rubber match have been dominated, unfortunately, by injuries. While we now know PJ Washington is capable of suiting up and contributing, we can't help but speculate just what "percent" Washington's health is at any given moment.
Bruce Pearl's squad has suffered a much more definitive setback: it's now confirmed star forward Chuma Okeke has a torn ACL that requires surgery. Okeke led Auburn with 20 points in their upset of No. 1 seed UNC, but now Auburn will have to try to fight their way past Kentucky to Minneapolis without him.
Okeke's production against UK earlier in the season wasn't the deal breaker in either contest. Nonetheless, it will be a tough ask of Auburn's bench to make up for the lost minutes. In game one, Okeke scored 11 points and grabbed 6 boards in 32 minutes played, a modest stat line in a game that was dominated by Auburn guards Bryce Brown and Jared Harper, who combined for 45 points.
Okeke led Auburn in scoring in game two, earning 14 points to go along with 3 rebounds. At this point in the season, Auburn was at their low of lows, so this game can almost be written off in terms of predicting what's to come today in Kansas City. Still, it may bode well for the Cats that the Tigers will be without their best forward asset.
It never feels good to play a team who isn't at full strength, but never underestimate a program with a cause to rally around, especially in March. Bruce Pearl said it himself: Okeke's absence will motivate their team. The Tigers are still just as dangerous as ever.
@JayWinkKSR
(Photo: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports)[/caption]
Kentucky and Auburn meet again today for the third time this season, this time with a trip to Minneapolis and the Final Four on the line. Aside from which team ended up in the win column, rounds one and two couldn't have gone more differently. The first trip to Auburn was an old school barn burner with UK narrowly escaping with a W, 82-80. The Rupp Arena rematch, on the other hand, went entirely in the Cats' favor. The 80-53 beatdown felt right at home amid the midseason tear UK was on at the time.
The storylines heading into the rubber match have been dominated, unfortunately, by injuries. While we now know PJ Washington is capable of suiting up and contributing, we can't help but speculate just what "percent" Washington's health is at any given moment.
Bruce Pearl's squad has suffered a much more definitive setback: it's now confirmed star forward Chuma Okeke has a torn ACL that requires surgery. Okeke led Auburn with 20 points in their upset of No. 1 seed UNC, but now Auburn will have to try to fight their way past Kentucky to Minneapolis without him.
Okeke's production against UK earlier in the season wasn't the deal breaker in either contest. Nonetheless, it will be a tough ask of Auburn's bench to make up for the lost minutes. In game one, Okeke scored 11 points and grabbed 6 boards in 32 minutes played, a modest stat line in a game that was dominated by Auburn guards Bryce Brown and Jared Harper, who combined for 45 points.
Okeke led Auburn in scoring in game two, earning 14 points to go along with 3 rebounds. At this point in the season, Auburn was at their low of lows, so this game can almost be written off in terms of predicting what's to come today in Kansas City. Still, it may bode well for the Cats that the Tigers will be without their best forward asset.
It never feels good to play a team who isn't at full strength, but never underestimate a program with a cause to rally around, especially in March. Bruce Pearl said it himself: Okeke's absence will motivate their team. The Tigers are still just as dangerous as ever.
@JayWinkKSR
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard