LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The University of Louisville men's basketball team defeated Miami on Saturday without injured point guard Chucky Hepburn and while getting only 7 minutes from center James Scott after he left the game with an injury to his mouth.
The first question for Cards' coach Pat Kelsey on the Atlantic Coast Conference coaches' teleconference Monday morning was the one that every U of L fan is asking: Will Hepburn and Scott play Wednesday night when the Cards visit North Carolina State in Raleigh at 7 p.m. for a game that will be televised on ESPN2?
Kelsey said he expected Scott to play despite the blow to his mouth that cost him several teeth. Hepburn is dealing with a groin injury. His status appears to be less certain.
Here is what Kelsey said about his two injured players Monday morning:
"Yeah, so Chucky ... continues to be day to day as we see how he continues to progress. We're hopeful about Wednesday, but nothing's for sure yet or set in stone.
"In terms of James, we're very, very confident that he's going to play, because he was extremely frustrated that he couldn't go right back in the game the other day.
"But it was much more than just a tooth popping out. He had both front teeth knocked out, and then it got pushed so far up into his gum that they had to go in and extract pieces. It was a lot more extensive than just getting your tooth knocked out, which is pretty extensive anyway.
"So he spent quite a bit of time on Saturday in a dentist chair, in his basketball uniform, which is unique.
"I made the point a couple weeks ago when you guys asked me about James and his personality, and he's such a wonderful kid, but I said, 'Man, he'd rather have six root canals then come into a press conference and talk to you guys.'
"And I think he took that literal literally. But he's such a tough kid. Like he's walking off the floor (and) blood's coming out of his mouth. And he looks at me, goes, 'I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. I'm ready.'
"I'm like James 'Just relax. Let's get this taken care of, you know.'
"And then he texts our strength coach, wow, he's in the dentist chair to see if he could lift the next morning. Then he texts me about 42 times make sure I knew that he'd be ready to play. So James is is kind of a example or microcosm of just the toughness of our entire team, that's why there's so much fun to coach.
"I saw him (Sunday). Lisa (Kelsey's wife) makes some some goodies on Super Bowl Sunday. That's kind of her deal.
"Like, we can't have this kid losing weight. How we get calories into him? Do we got to mix stuff up?
"James said he could eat. So he came in and got, got a couple goodies, and didn't have much smiling going on yesterday. I will say that he's not ever the most talkative kid in the world. Anyway. He wasn't smiling yesterday, and he didn't look like in the mood for me to ask him to smile, so I don't know what's in (his mouth) right now to be honest with you."
Louisville Basketball Coverage:
- CRAWFORD | On Louisville's 2005 Final Four, Pitino's message, and lessons learned
- Why did Louisville's Pat Kelsey wade into the crowd after Saturday's home win?
- CRAWFORD | More injuries, more grit: Shorthanded Louisville handles Miami, 88-78
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