🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Significant news for Texas Tech. Evans left the game in the first half against Baylor with a foot injury. Later confirmed as a toe injury but not considered serious after x-rays.

Reports are saying he's probably 50/50 to play Wednesday on the road against Oklahoma St. Sounds as if they sit him for that game and get him prepared for Saturday night. This is significant because if KU wins tonight and Evans doesn't play Wednesday and Tech loses, KU will have a 1 game lead going into the Gameday game Saturday. There are many ways this could go. Tech's best player could be less then 100% playing KU on Saturday night.

@BeddieKU23 Very unfortunate for Tech, in all honesty Baylor prob doesn't beat them with Evans on the court. I'll take the conference anyway we can but I still hate to see a guy go down for anybody. If it was me I'd rest him Wednesday and take my chances beating Okie state without him to be sure he's a 100% on Saturday.

@BeddieKU23

They will probably hold him against OSU unless the game starts to go South in which case he might play. Have to win the game at hand, particularly if it is one you are supposed to win. Losing the OSU game would increase the pressure on them big time since they have tougher games coming.

@kjayhawks

I think they will let him sit Wednesday unless the injury is really nothing they think can be injured further playing him. Beard will have to weigh whether 1 game outweighs the long-term.

I want to see him play against KU. Evans has been one of the top 4 players in Conference all season long and is a real nightmare to guard.

KU has played without Preston all season long..We've adjusted without personnel as well. Nobody feels bad for us though

@JayHawkFanToo

OSU almost beat them in the first matchup. I can see OSU having one of their better games and giving Tech all they can handle. If Evans doesn't play I don't see how they win

@BeddieKU23

Nobody roots for Goliath - Wilt Chamberlain

@BeddieKU23

Yep, OSU appears to be a bad match up for TTU.

@kjayhawks If it was me, I'd rest him the next two games. But, I'm a KU fan :astonished:

Day to Day sounds like he won't play against OSU unless they start to lose.

It may depend us to night as well, if we lose I see no way he plays Wednesday. If we win, they put him in if stuff goes south. Okie State is a hard team to read, they played their best game against us but just got the brakes beaten off them by a Fisherless TCU.

@BeddieKU23

My realistic hope is that KU wins against OU, TT, and UT. The OSU game shouldn't be an issue.

OR

KU wins against OU, UT, and OSU. The TT game won't be an issue.

I prefer KU wins out 4-0.

So my master plan is almost complete. I had us taking WVU and TT going down in Wacko.

I have TT losing in Motown.

TT has OSU in Stillwater...the POKIES should be tough.

TT has KU in Lubbock.

They end with TCU in Lubbock. I'd like to see TCU win for good measure.

@BeddieKU23

You know what? I would never wish a player hurt at all, and I wish Evans nothing but the best, REALLY.

However, we've been playing without our highly touted 5-star McDs AA all year. I know KU doesn't struggle as much with Billy P. I think you see what this TT team can do without Evans. Let's see if they are capable of playing without their star player.

To me, the mark of a good team is how they do without their star player. It's a bit of an orange and apple to compare Evans and Preston. My point isn't position, but a player that makes a difference. If they were to lose one of their bigs inside, Odiase or the other big fella, I often wonder how they would do.

@truehawk93 Duke wins without Bagley and jumps up 7 spots in the poll.

@dylans Bagley might not play again in college fwiw.

@BShark I didn’t know it was that serious. Too bad he’s a stud.

@dylans It's more than the injury.

Saw some of those rumors on Duke boards. We will see I suppose.

@BShark Another Preston situation?

BShark said:

Saw some of those rumors on Duke boards. We will see I suppose.

I must check these out. Interesting, I was starting to wonder

@dylans Yeah pretty much. I'm not convinced Preston ever plays a game for KU even with the car accident.

I wonder what the full effect of the FBI probe will be?

dylans said:

@truehawk93 Duke wins without Bagley and jumps up 7 spots in the poll.

When I was looking through the Top 25 the other day before the AP poll came out I predicted Duke would move up into the Top 5 for not losing. It's crazy that AP voters can do that

@BShark It’s not related to the t-shirt deal is it? http://www.charlotteobserver.com/latest-news/article195480224.html ↗

I believe this shouldn’t be an issue, so I assume you’re referring to another problem he’s found his way into.

@dylans Not that. It's something we will likely never hear full details about like Preston if true.

BShark said:

@dylans Yeah pretty much. I'm not convinced Preston ever plays a game for KU even with the car accident.

Without?

@mayjay Whoops typo. Yeah.

I didn't find much on the Duke board.

If there was a situation it would "go away" anyway. I mean we've seen every other situation regarding eligibility and extras disappear into thin air with Duke. Just like Bagley being cleared in a week after switching classes. It's just how it works.

I assume he'll be back soon before the ACC tourney.

@BeddieKU23 You are probably right. The only difference would be if they are scared of the FBI situation. But in that case they are probably bent over anyway.

@BShark

That would be a game-changer with the FBI. Haven't seen the narrative go that way as I'm sure a lot of people are scared to question the GOAT until there is good enough evidence

@BeddieKU23

TTech is learning what it takes to win the conference. They are being tested and we will just see how this turns out. One thing we should all take out of this... Chris Beard is legit! I'm excited for him being in the Big 12!

Sounds like a toe sprain... often called "turf toe."

I was lucky to never suffer from that, but I've been around players that have. It will slow down the player if his pain tolerance reaches the limit. I've seen guys grind right through it, too.

Even if Keenan can handle the pain without slowing down much, it will be on his mind and he will have a battle trying to remain full engaged (mentally) in games.

In the short run, players often compensate and some even up their game because of the adrenaline (see my Isiah Thomas post)... but over a longer period, the negative effects are sure to surface.

Think about off-the-court life for Keenan. He will have to deal with sleep loss, practice limitations, etc., and Chris Beard will have to develop "Plan B" which will also mean he has to reduce "Plan A" preparation. Another thing... pain, over time, creates fatigue even beyond the loss of sleep. Pain is very tiring all on it's own!

I hope this turns out to be nothing serious. I want to see us battle the best in our league at full strength!

@drgnslayr

Beard has done very well. To be in a position to win the Big-12 or share it in his 2nd year says it all. It's not as if players are flocking to West Texas. Credit is due for him and he seems like a humble guy so far. Lots to like.

The Evans injury must be dealt with great caution. If its turf toe (reports were he was at practice in a boot) then how severe the injury becomes #1. If he can play through it then he will and obviously having your senior leader that is having a Frank'esque type season, you want your baller playing even if he's not 100%. Teams will still respect him and maybe he becomes sort of a decoy in your gameplan.

We will see where Beard's short-term and long-term goals lie. He has a delicate rope to balance with both. Can he win the Big-12 if he sits Evans @ OSU, and potentially be a game down going into Saturday. What if they lose both? Now all they can do is tie if KU goes 0-2 after Saturday. Lots of possibilities. What if Evans injures himself more. Tech could be a Final 4 team with him and without him this team isn't going very far. We'll see Wednesday how severe the injury is if he's playing/not playing/being limited etc. I'm sure the kid wants to play Saturday at the least.

@BeddieKU23

If it truly is turf toe he can make it a lot worse by playing on it. Not sure if we are talking permanent damage as much as just "spraining the sprain" and increasing inflammation. The pain threshold continues to climb.

I'm guessing Beard will sideline him from all practices and just have him suited up for OSU with hopes of not having to use him.

Pretty good chance he is done for the year. He probably won't know until he puts it to the test in full-speed play.

@drgnslayr or save him for the big tourney?

Good point!

But if you save him until then you leave him as more of a question mark. Maybe it is best to know what team you will have in March ahead of time so you can prepare what you have.

Heck... I don't know... This is when coaches truly earn their salaries.

drgnslayr said:

@BeddieKU23

If it truly is turf toe he can make it a lot worse by playing on it. Not sure if we are talking permanent damage as much as just "spraining the sprain" and increasing inflammation. The pain threshold continues to climb.

I'm guessing Beard will sideline him from all practices and just have him suited up for OSU with hopes of not having to use him.

Pretty good chance he is done for the year. He probably won't know until he puts it to the test in full-speed play.

Agree, will be interesting to see how this plays out. Tech does have a capable backup PG who scorched KU in Allen. It's definitely gut check time for Tech tomm night.

@BShark Hmmm...vewwy interesting....tell me more....

If he is truly "day-to-day" as Beard is saying, it pretty much has to be a Grade 1 injury, and then it is a matter of pain tolerance. If properly taped and an appropriate othotic put in his shoe, it is not likely to get more injured (but his mobility might be hindered). Were it a Grade 2 or 3, it seems likely that it would need 2 to 8 weeks of time off, and continued play would possibly threaten the big toe joint with complications later.

I don't think Beard would press him to play if that latter possibility might happen. The real question is if Beard is intentionally making everyone think it is not severe when it really is, which leaves opponents in the dark. Whether he plays in the OSU game gives him a nice chance to further any deception either way.

Incidentally, for us old guys who never actually had turf toe, the pain is said to be similar to gout. I have a fairly severe case of that, and it has been excruciating if I ever am on the ground and try to stand up pushing off my right big toe ("so don't" . . . "yeah, I know").

@mayjay

I get the sense Beard is being deceptive, who wouldn't. You can't give OSU a game-plan advantage in advance.

@BeddieKU23 I was thinking it would be directed at us. 4 days to prepare but against Tech+ or Tech- ?

mayjay said:

@BeddieKU23 I was thinking it would be directed at us. 4 days to prepare but against Tech+ or Tech- ?

I'm sure its also aimed at KU and West Virginia who they play in Morgantown 2 days later. It's the biggest week and most brutal stretch in Texas Tech history

Is OSU a trap game for Tech? Perhaps they aren’t up for it, considering the game a “gimme”?

If Tech beats us again Saturday and WV Monday, they deserve to be the conference champs. They would have swept the other best 2 teams.

Perhaps you will remember that Devonté also had a turf toe injury a ↗ couple of years ago and missed 4 weeks.

FWIW, OSU is playing for a tournament bid. A sweep of the last 4 games and they are in, win 3 particularly over TTU and KU and they are a bubble team, anything less and they are out. Huge incentive for them.

@JayHawkFanToo that big ole Georgetown guy stepped on him, right?

@Crimsonorblue22

Yep, same ol’ turf toe injury.