Injuries overshadowed Houston’s win over NKU in the Round of 64, as Marcus Sasser continues to deal with a groin injury. The Cougars need both Sasser and Jamal Shead, otherwise Houston…we have a problem.
On Thursday night in the First Round of March Madness, top-seeded Houston fended off a valiant effort from Northern Kentucky to open their march to a national title, winning 63-52. However, it was the Cougars’ health, not their win, that was the biggest story following the game.
According to Houston’s official Twitter account and the broadcast, star guard Marcus Sasser “aggravated” the groin injury he suffered at last week’s American Athletic Conference Tournament. Sasser missed the Cougars’ championship game loss to Memphis, returning to the lineup Thursday but only playing 14 minutes and missing the entire second half.
So that begs the question, will he play in the Second Round of March Madness against Auburn?
Is Marcus Sasser playing vs. Auburn: Houston injury update for March Madness
UPDATE: 12:55 p.m. ET, March 18: Stadium’s Jeff Goodman is reporting that Houston’s Marcus Sasser will “start and not have any minutes restrictions” in Saturday night’s NCAA Tournament game against Auburn. According to Goodman, Sasser was held out from the second half of Thursday’s win as a precaution but could have played.
Houston’s Marcus Sasser (groin) will start and will not have any minute restrictions today against Auburn, source told @stadium. Sasser could have come back in first round game, but Houston coaching staff held him out.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 18, 2023
However, Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson pushed back on the reports Friday afternoon, telling media Sasser “didn’t reinjure himself…let’s make sure we get that straight.”
Sasser himself echoed similar sentiments, telling FOX26 in Houston “I’m playing 100%, it’s not a game-time decision.”
Marcus Sasser acknowledged, his decision to play tomorrow night is one of the biggest he’s ever made: “I’m playing 100%. It’s not a game-time decision..You can reinsure it. You re-aggravate it , but that’s not in my head. I’m just saying my prayers..We need this one tomorrow.” pic.twitter.com/4LsW5ndJpR
— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) March 17, 2023
Freshman Terrance Arceneaux was given minutes in Sasser’s stead, finishing with nine points in a career-high 35 minutes played.
The Cougars, who top the most recent NET Rankings, have arguably been the most dominant team in the country. But their ability to make a deep tournament run largely depends on Sasser, the AAC Player of the Year and first All-American for UH since Hakeem Olajuwon. Sasser not only leads the Cougars in scoring, he also paces Houston in field goal, 3-point, and free throw percentage.
The senior Sasser isn’t the only injury concern for the UH, though. Fellow guard Jamal Shead spent much of Thursday noticeably limping. Shead played 36 minutes in the win over the Norse but did commit a season-worst six turnovers.
On Friday, Shead provided a positive update for Cougars fans.
“It was just bugging me, I kind of had a limp against Northern Kentucky,” he said. “But if I can go, I’m going to go…I’m playing.”
While Sasser makes the offense go, Shead is the lynchpin of one of the country’s toughest defenses. The Cougars are the country’s second-best scoring defenses, forcing nearly 15 turnovers per game, fourth-best in the AAC. Shead leads the way in that regard with a team-high 62 steals.
With both of their top two players hobbled, the differences were apparent. The Cougars committed 17 turnovers and averaged a turnover on 23.7% of possessions, their second-highest of the season. Sampson admitted as much following the game, saying “the team we were tonight was not a one-seed.”
Even still, the Cougars possessed enough talent to get past a spirited effort from 16-seed NKU. But the challenge gets significantly tougher Saturday, a matchup with nine-seed Auburn on the docket. The Tigers came out firing against Iowa, shooting nearly 50% from the field and almost 40% from three-point.
To make the task even tougher, the game is being played in Birmingham, meaning a de facto home game for Auburn; Legacy Arena is a two-hour drive north from Auburn.
Despite being favorites to win the National Championship entering the tournament, questions now swirl around just how far Houston will go and about just how healthy Sasser and Shead really are. Come Saturday, we should have answers to both.
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