Disu’s status uncertain for Oklahoma game
The good news for Texas basketball? Forward Dylan Disu said Thursday that his knee injury suffered in Monday night’s loss at Baylor doesn’t appear too serious, although Texas is still waiting on further medical test results before setting a timeline for his return.
The bad news? The homegrown star forward from Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville remains questionable for Saturday’s regular-season finale against visiting Oklahoma, a game that will include senior day festivities honoring Disu, forward Brock Cunningham, guard Max Abmas and guard Ithiel Horton.
“I’m not too worried about Saturday right now,” Disu said. “We’re just taking it day by day. It’ll come down to the coaches and the training staff.”
The 6-foot-9 Disu, the Longhorns’ leading scorer and unquestioned leader, went down clutching his left knee after minimal contact with a Baylor player with 10 minutes, 50 seconds left in the Bears’ 93-85 win at Foster Pavilion. Texas officials said it was a left knee sprain after the game, and Disu returned to the bench to watch the rest of the contest without a brace or any extra knee protection.
In his postgame press conference, Texas coach Rodney Terry said he thinks Disu “will be fine.”
Now in his third year with Texas after two seasons at Vanderbilt, Disu is enjoying a career year when it comes to scoring. He’s averaging a career-high 16.1 points, including 17.2 points in Big 12 play. If he maintains his 51.4% shooting from 3-point range, he’ll shatter Texas’ single-season record of 42.3% set by AJ Abrams in the 2006-07 season.
Texas will need Disu if it’s to strengthen its case for the NCAA Tournament selection committee at next week’s Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. Texas will probably open the tournament Wednesday as either the No. 8 or 9 seed, depending on Saturday’s game as well as results from TCU’s home game against Central Florida.
Currently the eighth seed, Texas can move up to the No. 7 spot and avoid a Big 12 quarterfinal matchup with the No. 1 seed by beating Oklahoma if TCU loses to UCF. If Texas loses, the Longhorns will be locked into the No. 9 seed and will face Oklahoma in an immediate rematch Wednesday in the second round.