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Updated 7:22 AM on Thursday, October 18, 2007

Injuries abound for Big 12 teams

Several basketball players still out

By BRIAN DAVIS
The Dallas Morning News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Sizing up the Big 12 basketball race normally demands close examination of heights, weights, scoring and rebounding averages and the coach's record.

Better judge the team trainer, too.

Some of the Big 12's brightest stars are either injured, recovering from an injury or not practicing to avoid further injury. Coaches throughout the league should keep their fingers crossed, because this season may be more about X-rays than Xs and Os.

"Maybe that's a coincidence," Kansas coach Bill Self said with hope. "It's gotta be."

Injuries were a hot topic Wednesday at Big 12 media day inside the Marriott Country Club Plaza.

Let's start with Kansas, the preseason favorite. Star guard Brandon Rush, the Jayhawks' leading scorer last season, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a pick-up basketball game in late May.

Kansas is still pretty good, considering that guard Mario Chalmers and forward Darnell Jackson return. Self also believes sophomore Darrell Arthur of South Oak Cliff will make a "monumental" jump this season. But trainer Bill Cowgill better rush Rush back soon.

"I dunked it, then landed wrong, and it popped," Rush said of the injury. "That was it. December 1 is the target date."

Despite losing Kevin Durant to the NBA, Texas was picked to finish second. Freshman Gary Johnson of Houston still hasn't been cleared to play because of a heart condition diagnosed during a routine physical. The nation's 10th-best recruit according to USA Today can only practice at the moment.

Coach Rick Barnes called Johnson "a difference maker." When will he be cleared to play? Barnes doesn't know.

"He will play," Barnes said. "A date just has not been set for when that will be."

New Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon was hoping senior Joseph Jones would practice for the first time on Wednesday. Jones has a sprained foot in addition to a pair of creaky knees that A&M trainers keep close tabs on.

As for Jones' knees, Turgeon joked, "They hurt in conditioning. That's the only time they hurt. I think he did it to the coach last year, and he did it to me this year."

Kansas State's biggest recruit last year, Bill Walker, is recovering from a torn knee ligament suffered in the sixth game of the year.

Walker may be back, but he's discovered that assistant Frank Martin is now the head coach. Bob Huggins, the coach Walker came to K-State to play for, has dashed off to coach West Virginia.

The injury list goes on.

Oklahoma starting guard Austin Johnson missed the Sooners' September trip to Canada because of a back injury. So did guard Tony Crocker, who was diagnosed with compartment syndrome, a condition in which increased pressure hurts blood flow.

Doctors cut Crocker's leg open, repaired his blood vessels and used 49 stitches to sew him back together. Coach Jeff Capel said Crocker's OK now. Oh, but that doesn't count Crocker's rolled ankle injury that kept him out of Sunday's practice.

Oklahoma State's Obi Muonelo is trying to bounce back from a broken ankle suffered in December. Texas Tech's Esmir Rizvic suffered a fractured right eye socket against Oklahoma in January. Those are more than everyday bumps and bruises.

"It felt good coming back, because I missed the game," Muonelo said. "If you miss one game, it's not too bad. But if you miss the whole season, it hurts a lot worse."

At least Baylor coach Scott Drew had some good health news to report. His wife, Kelly, gave birth to their first son on Wednesday in Waco.

Better get the healthy ones now. You might need 'em down the road.

That's why Drew said, "We're going to sign him - today!"