With one practice and just three game-minutes in two weeks, Udoka Azubuike was still able to make his presence felt when heꦆ returned. Without him Saturday, Kansas coach Bill Self said the Jayhawks wouldn’t have gotten past Seton Hall.
Six days later, with more rest and practice time, the monstrous 7-foot, 280-pou꧂nd Nigerian should make even more of an impact.
The timing couldn’t be better for top-ꦫseeded Kansas, which will get its star ce🔯nter back in the starting lineup for Friday night’s Midwest Region semifinal against fifth-seeded Clemson (25-9) in Omaha, Neb.
“Unless something unforeseen happens, he’ll be start⛎ing and be full speed on Friday,” Self saiඣd.
Azubuike missed the Big 12 Tournament after spraining the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in practice on March 6. He played just three minutes in the opening-round win over No. 16 Penn, before giving Self 22 surprisingly effective minutes against eighth-seeded Seton Hall, scoring 10 points, grabbing seven rebound𒊎s and blocking two shots in the ꦛfour-point victory.
He’s practiced fully since, and has his teammates excited about wh𒈔at he can do this weekend. The bulky brace on his knee doesn’t seem to be holding him back.
“He’s been looking great,” senior guard Devonte’ Graham said. “He’s trying to get back in shape. He’s been doing a good job of staying out on the floor. And his knee l❀ooks great. And he looks more explo𝄹sive than he did last game.”
A year after his season was cut short due to a wrist injury, Azubuike helped Kansas (29-7) win an unprecedented 14th straight Big 12 regular-season crown. Hꦬe averaged 13.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and shot an absurd 77.5 percent from the field. His presence changes the game for the perimeter-oriented ꦗJayhawks, who shoot 40.3 percent from 3-point land. With him, it makes them harder to defend.
“He’s obviously huge. And everybody you talk to about Kansas says wait until you see him in person,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “So we know he’s got great size, and he’s extremely competitive and physical. … And if he gets the ball under the basket, you really can’t stop him.“We have to do a good job of trying, at least if he gets it, make it be 6 or 8 feet away from the basket and make him make a bounce or two to try to make a play. … We can’t just let him stand under the basket and dunk balls and not have to play defense.”