...
By Cole Sullivan
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
There are tough athletes, and then there’s Jordan Pope of the Texas Longhorns, who played in Thursday night’s Sweet 16 matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers with a broken foot.
His status leading up to the game was uncertain, and he revealed postgame that the injury occurred with five minutes remaining in Texas’ previous game against Gonzaga. Pope said he didn’t know if he would play against Purdue until roughly 30 minutes before tipoff.
Pope credited the training staff for putting him in a position to play, noting that the injury couldn’t worsen and was more about managing pain tolerance.
Read More on NCAA
“Five minutes left against Gonzaga, I broke my foot. Complete break. So, it was definitely tough,” Pope said. “Credit to our training staff, Warren and our doctor, for giving me a chance to even be questionable.”
More news: Billy Donovan Urged to Replace Hubert Davis as Next UNC Coach
More news: Bryan Hodgson’s Wife Comment Draws Attention for Providence Coach
Despite the injury, he logged 33 minutes, scoring 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting while adding two rebounds and one assist. He also recorded 17 points in the team’s second-round win over Gonzaga and was seen afterward with a noticeable limp, but chose to wait until after the Purdue game to unveil the full extent of the injury.
Still, it never seemed like he would miss the opportunity to suit up alongside his teammates in the Sweet 16, especially with the game taking place in his home state of California.
“I had nothing to lose,” Pope said. “I’m back at home playing in the Sweet 16.”
...
Texas ultimately fell short in heartbreaking fashion as Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a Braden Smith miss with just 0.7 seconds remaining, giving the Boilermakers a 79–77 lead. Texas then missed a full-court heave, sealing the loss.
The Longhorns, however, were one of the tournament’s most compelling stories this March. They began in the First Four in Dayton, secured a win over NC State, and followed that with upset victories against BYU and Gonzaga.
More news: Rick Pitino Reacts to NCAA Tournament Coach Taking Big East Job Days After Loss
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines