Houston entered tonight’s NCAA Tournament opener uncertain about the status of star guard Marcus Sasser.
Sasser, a first-team All-American selection, injured his groin during the semifinals of the AAC Tournament last weekend. He was officially listed as a game-time decision for tonight.
Well, the decision is in, and Sasser will return to his customary place in the starting lineup for the top-seeded Cougars’ matchup with the No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky.
The 6-foot-1 Sasser averaged 17.1 points and 3.2 assists per game this season while shooting 38.3% from three-point range and 84.0% from the free throw line.
A toe injury ended his 2021-22 season after 12 games, but in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the Red Oak, Tex. native scored in double figures four times in five games, including back-to-back 20-point performances against Oregon State in the Elite Eight and Baylor in the Final Four.
We’ll see how effective he looks tonight coming back from injury. Tip-off is moments away.