Injury Report: Bringing Back the Payne

Published on Friday, 2/7/14, at 2:03 p.m. Eastern.
Updated on Friday, 2/7/14, at 6:23 p.m. Eastern.

By Brian Edwards

After missing seven straight games with a foot injury, Michigan St. senior center Adreian Payne returned Thursday night in an 82-67 home win over Penn St. at Breslin Center. Payne scored 12 points, grabbed three rebounds, dished out two assists and blocked one shot in 18 minutes of playing time. However, starting guard Keith Appling couldn’t go against PSU due to a wrist injury. Appling, who averages 15.0 points and 4.9 assists per game, is ‘questionable’ for Sunday’s game at Wisconsin. Also, Branden Dawson (hand) remains out and isn’t expected to be back until early March.

Florida freshman center made his debut in Tuesday’s non-covering home win over Missouri. Walker played only seven minutes, scoring four points with a pair of dunks and two blocked shots. Look for his minutes to gradually increase as he becomes more comfortable with what the Gators are running on both ends of the court.

Minnesota leading scorer Andre Hollins returned from a sprained ankle suffered on Jan. 22 to play in Wednesday’s 77-74 overtime loss at Purdue. Hollins had missed back-to-back games (both defeats). He played 36 minutes and finished with eight points, four rebounds and two assists. However, Hollins, who averages 14.8 points per game, made only 3-of-14 shots from the field.

FSU guard Ian Miller missed Wednesday’s 70-50 home win over Va. Tech. Miller, who averages 12.7 PPG, is a question mark Saturday at Maryland.

Creighton guard Grant Gibbs dislocated his kneecap in a win at DePaul on Jan. 7. The injury was diagnosed as 4-6 weeks and Gibbs is right on track. There’s a possibility the sixth-year senior could play Friday vs. DePaul, as he’s listed as ‘questionable.’ Gibbs averages 6.1 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. He has a 62/26 assists-to-turnovers ratio and made 49 percent of his shots from the field in the Bluejays’ first 15 games. I reached out to my man Nick Bahe, the color analyst for Creighton’s radio broadcast and a member of the 1620 The Zone team in Omaha, Thursday afternoon to get the latest. Bahe told BE Sports, “He started practicing at full speed on Tuesday and told me he feels pretty good. It’ll be a game-time call. My gut says no against DePaul and even if he plays, it’ll be limited minutes.”

DePaul has been without its leading scorer Cleveland Melvin in the last three games, and the Blue Demons have lost all three contests while going 2-1 against the spread. Melvin is in the midst of an indefinite suspension that Oliver Purnell has been coy about. As of early Friday afternoon, there was no change in his status. so gamblers should consider him ‘out tonight (I doubt he even made the trip, but haven’t been able to confirm that). Melvin leads DePaul in scoring (16.7 PPG), rebounding (6.3  RPG), field-goal  percentage (47.1%) and blocked shots (1.6 per game).

San Diego St.’s Winston Shepard (12.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG) injured his wrist in Wednesday’s come-from-behind win at Boise St. He’s ‘questionable’ Saturday vs. Nevada.

Texas point guard Javan Felix (12.0 PPG) didn’t play in this week’s win at TCU due to a concussion. He is ‘questionable’ has been upgraded to ‘probable’ for Saturday’s game vs. Kansas St.

Va. Tech’s Adam Smith will miss his sixth consecutive game (calf injury) Saturday at Pittsburgh. Smith (11.0 PPG) hasn’t played since Jan. 19. The Hokies also have a pair of players that are question marks against the Panthers. C.J. Barksdale (8.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG) is dealing with a groin injury, while Marshall Wood (4.6 PPG) is under the weather with an illness.

After missing a month with an appendix issue, Washington St.’s DaVonte Lacy (18.3 PPG) returned to the court on Feb. 1. The Cougars are 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS since Lacy came back. Lacy looked 100 percent in a loss to Colorado this week as he dropped 34 points on the Buffaloes.

Ga. Tech starting point guard Trae Golden is ‘questionable’ for Saturday’s home game vs. Virginia due to a groin injury. Golden couldn’t go in Tuesday’s 45-41 loss at Clemson that was a spread cover for the Yellow Jackets, who are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games. Golden, a transfer from Tennessee who went to McEachern High School about 30 miles north of Atlanta, is averaging a team-high 14.0 points and 3.6 assists per game. UPDATE: Golden still ??? but Robert Carter, who has been out several weeks, will play vs. UVA. 

UMass might be missing Maxie Esho for Saturday’s game at Rhode Island. Esho left Saturday’s 73-68 loss at St. Joseph’s with a concussion and hasn’t been cleared for contact yet. Esho averages 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest.

After missing Saturday’s 76-70 win at Oklahoma St. with an ankle sprain, Baylor starting point guard Kenny Cherry played limited minutes in Tuesday’s blowout loss to Kansas at home. Cherry clearly wasn’t 100 percent, logging only 11 minutes and scoring just three points without dishing an assist. The juco transfer averages 10.6 point and 4.8 assists per game. He’ll play Saturday at Oklahoma but bettors shouldn’t consider him fully health yet.

After serving one-game suspensions in Saturday’s blowout loss at LSU, Arkansas forward Alandise Harris and guard Michael Qualls were back on the court in Wednesday’s 65-58 non-covering home win over Alabama. Both are still somewhat in Mike Anderson’s doghouse, however, evidenced by the fact that they didn’t start and played just 14 minutes apiece against the Crimson Tide. Harris had eight points and a pair of steals, while Qualls finished with two points, five boards and two assists. The Hogs, who are mired in a 2-7 ATS slump, play Saturday at Vandy.

Louisville’s Wayne Blackshear didn’t make the trip to Houston for this team’s win earlier this week after sustaining a concussion at practice. Blackshear (9.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG) is a question mark for the Cardinals when they return to the court Thursday vs. Temple.

Air Force leading scorer Tre Coggins (17.4 PPG) is ‘questionable’ will return to the lineup for Saturday’s home game vs. Colorado St. Coggins has missed three straight games due to a suspension. Without him, the Falcons were winless with a 1-2 spread record. However, one of the non-covers was as 10-point ‘dogs in a 13-point setback in overtime. Air Force is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games.

ULM’s Amos Olatayo is done for the season with a torn ACL. Olatayo was averaging 13.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Warhawks.

Loyola-Maryland will be without its leading scorer Dylon Cormier for the rest of the season (hand injury). Cormier averaged 21.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

UL-Lafayette’s Kasey Sheperd (8.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG) is done for the year with a torn meniscus.

Old Dominion’s Dimitri Batten (11.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG) has an injured shoulder and is ‘questionable’ has been downgraded to ‘doubtful’ for Saturday’s home game vs. UTEP.

Northern Iowa has lost back-to-back games since losing Nate Buss to a knee injury. He hurt his knee on Jan. 29 and will be out for 1-2 more weeks. The Panthers will certainly miss him when they host Wichita St. on Saturday. Buss, who averages 10.8 PPG and 4.3 RPG, scored a season-high 26 points in a win over Missouri St. on Jan. 18.

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