Purdue center Isaac Haas was thought to be out of the NCAA tournament with an elbow injury, but the senior is determined to play.
Purdue’s chances of a deep run in the NCAA tournament took a huge hit in the first round, when center Isaac Haas injured his elbow. The Boilermakers released a press conference following the game saying Haas would miss the remainder of the tournament with a fractured elbow.
The injury came on his right arm, his shooting arm, meaning even if he were able to play through the pain, his offensive game would be significantly hampered. Given Haas averaged 15 points and six boards this season, that was a huge blow for the No. 2 Boilermakers.
In the days since that press release, however, rumors have been circulating that Haas is determined to play, fractured elbow or not, and he was seen practicing his shot in the buildup to Saturday’s second-round game against Butler.
#Purdue’s Haas shooting bunnies left-handed. Even from very close range right-handed shots have been tough. pic.twitter.com/A6TxnBF9Y5
— Nathan Baird (@nwbaird) March 18, 2018
The senior’s shooting motion is clearly limited by the injury, but there’s a lot a 7-foot-2 center can contribute to his team even if he isn’t fully healthy. Whether or not Haas can convince coach Matt Painter to let him play, his determination is impressive.
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Matt Haarms is the next man up if Haas isn’t ready to play. The freshman is 7 foot 3, and while he doesn’t offer the offense Haas does, his size inside will be useful on the defensive end. He’s averaging five points and three rebounds a game this season.
With Haas healthy, Purdue would be big favorites against No. 10 Butler, but the injury increases the upset potential in a tournament that has already seen some huge shocks. Virginia became the first No. 1 seed ever to lose to a No. 16 seed in the first round, while No. 4 Arizona fell to No. 13 Buffalo on the first day of the tournament.