UConn's Solo Ball, Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg both dealing with injuries heading into title game
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — UConn starting guard Solo Ball was set to miss practice Sunday because of a sprained foot but said he expects to play when the Huskies face Michigan in the NCAA championship game.
“Just doing everything I can to prepare for tomorrow,” said Ball, who hurt his left foot when he got tangled with teammate Tarris Reed Jr. in the first half of UConn's semifinal win over Illinois. “So, it's a bump in the road, but I'm still going to play.”
Ball was wearing a boot on his left foot less than 24 hours after playing 28 minutes and scoring 13 points in the 71-62 victory over the Illini. The Huskies advanced to their third national championship game in four years.
Ball said adrenaline helped him get through the rest of the game and “I'm doing everything I can to prepare" for the game against the Wolverines on Monday night.
Ball started all 38 games he's played, averaging 12.9 points. Coach Dan Hurley was noncommittal to whether his junior guard would play Monday night, saying he would know more about Ball's status after an MRI.
The Wolverines also have an injury issue. All-American forward Yaxel Lendeborg hurt his left ankle and wore a protective brace covering his left knee in the second half of Saturday's 91-73 rout of Arizona. He played five minutes in the first half before reinjuring his left ankle. Team officials later announced he had hurt his knee as well.
But Lendeborg returned in the second half and made two key 3-pointers to propel the Wolverines to their first title game since 2018.
“Absolutely not,” Lendeborg said when asked whether he would miss Monday's night game. “Unless I wake up and I get up and fall off my feet, I’m going to be in that game.”
The Wolverines have lost four consecutive championship games since beating Seton Hall in overtime in 1989 for the school's only national title.
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