Houston basketball star guard Marcus Sasser has reportedly suffered a groin injury in the team's semifinal matchup against Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference Tournament Saturday afternoon, per CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein.
The panic meter is likely off the charts for Cougars fans who know how important the AAC Player of the Year is to their National Championship aspirations. They are locked in as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the game was a blowout- 68-49 final-, so it was unlikely Sasser would have played through the injury even if he could.
The medical staff and head coach Kelvin Sampson will hopefully have better news to deliver at the press conference. Until then, though, the sky might as well be falling in Houston. After NCAA violations essentially blacklisted Sampson from college basketball, he has found redemption with the Cougars and built a legitimate powerhouse. Sasser has been a central part of that rise. He started in the program's first Final Four appearance in nearly 40 years in 2021 against eventual champion Baylor.
This year, however, the senior has taken over, scoring 17.5 points per game while shooting 38 percent form 3-point range. Houston basketball has a strong defensive identity and the point guard factors into that with almost two steals per game. His potential absence would make cutting down the nets in their backyard at NRG Stadium very improbable.
That is all speculation of course. Furthermore, Sasser's health is beyond the control of the rest of the team. The two-time reigning AAC Tournament champions will defend their crown against the winner of Tulane and Memphis. A loss could mean that Kansas or Alabama snags the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
And the Cougars may need every break they can get following this injury news.
Follow Us
Subscribe