Kansas guard Kevin McCullar out for NCAA Tournament
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas will be without their senior guard Kevin McCullar in the NCAA Tournament.
Upon arriving in Salt Lake City, Utah for the first two rounds of the tournament, head coach Bill Self told reporters that the super-senior is done playing as a Jayhawk.
“Kevin is not going to play,” Self said. “Kevin says his knee pain has not subsided any and it’s too bad for him to be able to contribute. So Kevin will not play.
“He’s out. We’re shutting him down for the tournament. If we are fortunate enough to win two games, we’d have done it without him. You know, he hasn’t practiced in six weeks, basically. He hasn’t done more damage to his knee. He tried to do it (play) and said he just couldn’t go.”
Kansas gets 4th seed in Midwest Region for NCAA Tournament
The honorable mention All-American averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Jayhawks this season. He also earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.
McCullar has missed the Big 12 Tournament and the last six games of the regular season with a bone bruise on his left knee.
Freshman Elmarko Jackson and senior Nic Timberlake will play in his place.
Center Hunter Dickinson dislocated his shoulder in the final game of the season and also missed the Big 12 Tournament but is ready to help the 4-seed Jayhawks play 13-seed Samford on Thursday.
“Hunt looks great,” Self said. “He’s practiced basically every day since Saturday. Non-contact. The last two days has been full contact.”
Dickinson also earned first-team All-Big 12 and averaged 18.0 points and 10.8 rebounds this season.
Tip-off is set for 8:55 p.m. Thursday.
