SHOOTING FROM HIP
After rest and treatment, Jarreau says he ‘feels fine’
INDIANAPOLIS — DeJon Jarreau sat in a section of seats along the outfield wall at Victory Field, home of the Class AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, as his teammates roamed the outfield grass, playing cornhole and tossing a football.
A few hours later, in a video posted on UH’s social media account, Jarreau swung a driver during an outing at TopGolf.
The swing needs work. But hey, how’s the most talked-about hip among the remaining 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament feel?
“It feels fine,” Jarreau said Thursday in a Zoom call with reporters “I’m ready for the game.”
In his first update since playing through visible pain in a second-round win over Rutgers, Jarreau said he has benefited from more than half a week’s worth of rest and treatment and will have no limitations when the second-seeded Cougars play 11th-seeded Syracuse on Saturday night in the Sweet 16.
“It doesn’t really hurt as much as it did in the Rut
gers game,” Jarreau said of the hip pointer he aggravated in the second half, forcing him to leave the game. “I’ve had some time off to get treatment and recover, take my pain meds, soak, things like that. I don’t think it will be a big factor come Saturday.”
Asked what percent the hip was at, Jarreau said: “About 70 to 75. It’s coming along.”
The 6-foot-5 guard took a few days off from practice before returning to the court Thursday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
“I’m just ready for the game,” he said.
Jarreau offered more details about the injury, diagnosed as a hip pointer by the UH medical staff, he suffered in the Tournament opener against Cleveland State. About 30 seconds into the game, Jarreau said, he was in position for an offensive rebound when Vikings guard Tre Gomillion turned around to box out. Gomillion’s elbow hit Jarreau’s right hip bone, causing a deep bruise that delivered excruciating pain with any movement.
“I felt it immediately,” Jarreau said.
As he ran downcourt, Jarreau was attempting to contest a shot when he “felt all the pain in the world.”
He checked out of the game — only 40 seconds had elapsed — and did not return.
“It was one of the worst pains ever,” Jarreau said. “I told my teammates to get through this Cleveland State game for me, and I promise I’ll be out there Sunday no matter what it took.”
With only one day between the first and second rounds, Jarreau was back in the starting lineup against Rutgers. Team trainer John Houston cut out padding that wrapped around Jarreau’s hip to soften the blow of any hard contact.
Early in the second half, and already in visible pain, Jarreau was chasing Rutgers guard Geo Baker off an inbounds screen. As Jarreau turned, Myles Johnson, who is 6-11 and 255 pounds, used his hip for a hard screen, sending Jarreau to the floor on his injured hip.
As he walked to the bench, Jarreau said, he told coach Kelvin Sampson, “I can’t do this right now.”
“So many thoughts ran through my head,” Jarreau added. “Am I going to be able to get back into the game?”
As time began running out, Jarreau said, he could sit no longer. In an interview Thursday with SportsTalk 790, Jarreau said he checked back into the game without Sampson even aware.
“I didn’t even tell the coaches. I just ran straight to the table,” Jarreau said.
“At that point, it was now or never.”
How effective Jarreau will be Saturday remains unclear as the Cougars bid for their first trip to the Elite Eight since 1984. Having Jarreau, whom Sampson has called the most “indispensable” player on the roster, is clearly a boost for the Cougars. Jarreau averages 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds and leads the team in steals (37) and assists (116).
“We’re not going very far without him,” Sampson said.
Quentin Grimes, UH’s All-America guard, said Jarreau’s presence is key as the Cougars look to advance.
“He’s the heart and soul of the team,” Grimes said. “He’s the leader out there. He’s a coach out on the floor. Just knowing he won’t be limited at all will be a huge emphasis for us. He can play like himself, play defense like himself, and be that guy that we’ve needed all year.”