Recuperating Ware to travel with Louisville to Final Four
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Injured Louisville guard Kevin Ware will travel to the Final Four on his crutches and expects to be a big presence for the Cardinals.
Cleared by doctors Wednesday to accompany Louisville to Atlanta, the sophomore tells The Associated Press he plans to be a full participant in the team’s preparation for Saturday’s game against Wichita State.
Ware says the overwhelming support he has received has helped him maintain his spirits and has strengthened his confidence of a full recovery. He hopes by next season to be helping the Cardinals defend the national championship he believes they’ll win this weekend.
The normally reserved 20-year- old calmly recalled how he felt when he suffered the devastating injury, saying he doesn’t think Louisville would be in the Final Four if he had lost his composure.
Ware credits teammate Luke Hancock for calming him down.
“He got me to that point where I really had to put the pain on hold,” said Ware, with his leg in a cast propped up on a couch at the Cardinals’ practice facility. “Once he said his prayer, I was kind of thinking the whole time, ‘You can either be a crybaby about it, or you’re going to get your team back and get them in the right mind-set.’
“Luke said his words, and I just kept repeating, ‘ Y’all gotta go win this game.’ I’m fine. ... It really helped the team.”
But it wasn’t easy for the Cardinals, many of whom cried after seeing Ware’s gruesome injury — his bone protruding through his skin.
Even Louisville coach Rick Pitino was emotional, wiping tears from his eyes.
The Cardinals eventually regrouped to lead at halftime en route to an 8563 victory over the Duke Blue Devils in Indianapolis.
Through it all, Ware said he had to remain strong. He was placed on a stretcher and wheeled out of Lucas Oil Stadium to cheers of “Kevin Ware, Kevin Ware,” before heading to Methodist Hospital.
Ware underwent a twohour operation to repair compound fractures of the tibia that left the leg at an odd angle. He awoke the next morning to discover he had become an overnight sensation, and the afterglow hasn’t waned.
DEVELOPMENTS
Gophers pick Richard Pitino: Richard Pitino has built a résumé as one of the nation’s up-and- coming young coaches at Florida International and bears a last name that draws immediate respect in all corners of college basketball.
That combination was too good for Minnesota to pass up.
Two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press that Pitino was in negotiations with Minnesota officials on Wednesday, and one said a verbal agreement was reached in the afternoon for him to take over the Gophers.
In his lone season at Florida International, the son of Louisville coach Rick Pitino led the Panthers to an 18-14 record, the school’s first winning season in 13 years. He will turn 31 in September.
Theus to take reins at Northridge: Reggie Theus is back in college basketball as coach of the men’s team at Cal State Northridge.
Athletic director Brandon Martin announced the former NBA player’s hiring on Wednesday. Theus succeeds Bobby Braswell, who was fired March 17 after 17 years.