Another win, another Injury for UCLA

[Russ Smith]

Unreal, up 16 WSU goes nuts, Akagnon scores 25 in the 2nd half, 6 threes. Up 10 Mata and Farmar collide, Farmar OK, mata hurts his knee, early speculation is it could be his ACL. This is like the Cards OL this year.

UCLA barely held on to win 63-61, if Mata is out, they have 2 post players left, Wright and Aboya, both freshmen. Wright is still playing on a sprained ankle, and Aboya is recovering from 2 knee surgeries this offseason. That UW game Saturday is not looking good for UCLA. Never thought I'd be anxious to get Hollins and Fey back.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Not to worry Russ, Arizona doesn't have any frontcourt players either. 6'4 Hassan Adams played center for most of the second half tonight.

 

[Russ Smith]

Not to worry Russ, Arizona doesn't have any frontcourt players either. 6'4 Hassan Adams played center for most of the second half tonight.

I wondered why Walters wasn't in teh boxscore.

They still don't know on Mata, right now UCLA has 7 scholarship players healthy and that includes Farmar, Wright and Afflalo all playing hurt. They have Collison and Janou Rubin on the bench and then walkons.

Crazy game, late in the game, 14 seconds left, Afflalo poked the ball away from Akagnon and went chasing after it for an easy breakaway layup. Akagnon grabbed him around the waist from behind. Whistle, foul, Afflalo is complaining that it should be an intentional foul, and the refs call the foul on Afflalo! He had to be restrained, Howland had to be restrained, and of course AKagnon made both FT's.

UCLA got really lucky, Weaver basically missed a guarded but easy left hand layup at the buzzer that would have sent the game into OT.

Bizarre year, Oregon State knocks of Cal and UA back to back, WSU beats UW and nearly beats UCLA.

The only good news is UCLA is saying Hollins will play Saturday, he sucks, but at least he's the 8th scholarship player.

 

[Russ Smith]

Update, Mata scheduled for an MRI today. UCLA is hoping it's a hyperextension and no ligament tear. Ben said if anybody can withstand a collision like that and not hurt his knee it's Mata because "he has tree trunks for legs."

If he's not out for an extended period of time it still looks like UCLA, CAL, UW and UA, my fear is they appear to be fighting for possibly only 3 NCAA bids, I can't see the Pac getting more than 4 and 4 is maybe pushing it.

Good luck the rest of the way Mao, after watching Cardinals drop left and right all year this is getting old fast with UCLA.

 

[Russ Smith]

Early rumor is Mata out 6-8 weeks, may have broken bone in his ankle, knee was dislocated no tears. But that's just a rumor posted on Bruinzone, nothing official has been announced.

I'd say Mata missing that long would kill the season, his defense and rebounding are light years ahead of wright and aboya at the moment, and Hollins and Fey stink and both will be very rusty when healthy.

 

[Russ Smith]

Confirmed by Howland, fractured Tibia, 6-8 weeks. Still no word on the knee which I'm hoping is a good thing.