2 min read • April 04, 2024
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Although Purdue enters the Final Four with the lowest team health score, primary ball handler Braden Smith has played well through the right knee injury he suffered on March 16.
His scoring average is down from his regular season average, but he has kept the offense churning by turning into more of a passing threat.
His main downgrade comes on the defensive end, as he is still unlikely to have full mobility from the right knee bone bruise he suffered just over two weeks ago.
After averaging 12.7 points, 7.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds during the regular season, he has averaged 9.3 points, 9.3 assists and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 45.8% from the field. Smith’s best game was a 14-point, 15 assist and 8 rebound performance against Gonzaga in 40 minutes played last Friday.
He followed that up with 9 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in the tight win over Tennessee in the Elite Eight.
After two tight victories over North Carolina and Clemson, the Alabama Crimson Tide are likely to get senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. back for its Final Four matchup against University of Connecticut on Saturday.
Wrightsell was diagnosed with a concussion after exiting the March 24 matchup against Grand Canyon University and he missed Thursday's matchup against UNC and the Saturday matchup against the Clemson Tigers.
However, he has returned to practice this week and is on track to play.
Wrightsell scored 17 points on 75% shooting from the field during the opening round victory over Charleston, but played just 11 minutes against Grand Canyon and finished with 2 points.
He averaged 9 points, 3 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 44.7% shooting from the field during the regular season.
Sophomore guard Rylan Griffen entered the tournament nursing a calf ailment but has played increasingly well as the tournament has progressed. In the 89-82 win over Clemson, he played his most minutes since Feb. 24, finishing with 13 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal on 62.5% shooting from the field and 50% from 3-point range.
Over the past three games in the tournament, he averaged 15 points, 3.33 assists and 3 rebounds on 53.6% shooting from the field.
Senior forward Nick Pringle entered Saturday's game nursing a bruised heel, but played 32 minutes and finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists while shooting 4-6 from the floor and 8-13 from the free throw line.
The Wolfpack have avoided major injury issues in the tournament and the regular season. NC State beat Texas Tech, Oakland, Marquette and Duke to reach its first Final Four since 1983. The No. 11 seed has now won 9 straight games despite finishing with a 9-11 conference record and a 17-14 overall record.
The Huskies do not have any major injury issues to note. UConn beat Stetson, Northwestern, SDSU and Illinois to reach its second consecutive Final Four.
They finished the regular season with a 28-3 record and were 18-2 in the Big East including splitting the season series against Creighton.
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