The Oregon Ducks had a big game against the Colorado Buffaloes on Thursday night; one in which they absolutely had to win if they wanted to keep any semblance of hope alive for the postseason.
As the starting lineups were getting ready to be announced, there was some cause for concern, though.
Oregon’s star player, N’Faly Dante, had been scratched from the starting lineup and replaced by Quincy Guerrier. Those who were watching the warmups might have seen Dante tweak his knee a little bit and head into the locker room. He would eventually emerge, sporting a knee brace, some ice, and a notable limp.
Dante would not play in the game, and despite his absence, the Ducks were able to pull out a 75-69 win. After the contest, head coach Dana Altman offered an update on the injury:
“He tweaked his knee during warmups,” Altman said. “They’ll check him out tomorrow. Dante’s a tough young man. If he can go, he will go. I don’t have any doubts about that.”
The Ducks turn around and host the Utah Utes on Saturday night in another game that Oregon needs to win if they want to keep any at-large bids alive. Utah is near the top of the Pac-12 standings, so getting Dante back on the floor would be a massive bonus for the Ducks.
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