Kansas center Udoka Azubuike to miss rest of season with torn ligament in hand

Kansas center Udoka Azubuike will miss the rest of the season after he suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist in practice last week, the school announced Sunday.

“Udoka had an MRI done this morning and the MRI revealed he tore the same ligament in his right hand that he tore in his left hand his freshman season,” Kansas coach Bill Self said in a statement. “This occurred in practice on Friday and although the initial x-rays did not reveal the extent of the injury, the MRI did and it will require season-ending surgery. The surgery date will be set early this week. The doctors expect a full recovery and Udoka will be able to assume full basketball activities at some point this summer.”

Azubuike has played in nine games this season for the Jayhawks, averaging 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds. He missed four games in December with an ankle injury. The Delta, Nigeria, native missed the final 25 games of his freshman season with the same injury in his left hand.

No. 5 Kansas is fresh off a 77-60 loss to Iowa State on Saturday, which it played without Azubuike.

Statistically, Kansas is a much better team with the 7-foot junior on the floor. The Jayhawks have averaged 115 points per 100 possessions with him, while averaging just 102 per 100 possessions without him, according to ESPN. Kansas has also made more than 46 percent of its 3-pointers with Azubuike, and just 31 percent without him.

Self is now down two big men, as Kansas is still without 6-foot-9 sophomore Silvio De Sousa due to eligibility concerns related to the FBI’s investigation into corruption in college basketball.

More from Yahoo Sports:
• Robinson: Keeping Jason Garrett paid off for Jerry Jones
• Warriors-Kings combine to set history for most 3-pointers in NBA game
• 19-year-old Cal DB dies after collapsing during workout
• Deshaun Watson’s streak ends in loss to Colts