Evan Turner back...

[sal]

in time for a 1/09/ appearance at the barn?


Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy analyzes what Saturday's buzz means to college basketball.

Turner's back
Once he got over the initial shock of having a potential All-American season interrupted by a back injury, Ohio State star Evan Turner privately told coach Thad Matta he'd beat the two-month projection for his recovery—and the date he expected to be ready.

Now, he's gone public: Jan. 9 at Minnesota.

That's what Turner told The Columbus Dispatch. "My teammates and I have never won at Minnesota and never won at Purdue. We definitely want to do that," Turner said. "That's a hostile environment and would be the ideal game they might need me for."

It's too early to say whether that's realistic, but it's a worthy goal.

 

[rcpratt]

Well, good for him. If the Buckeyes can make it to that game with only one more loss and then they get him back, they'll still be in real good shape.

I still like both the Gophers and Boilers in those two games since they get them at home, but this will certainly make it more interesting.

 

[Mikie S]

What's the issue with Turner's type of injury? Do you have to wait for the bones to heal, or is it an injury that you can play through the pain with?

 

[cfield23]

Is this better for the Gophers?

Maybe if he's back, but playing in pain, his performance won't be as stellar and on selection sunday, the committee can't say "well the Gophers beat an OSU team WITHOUT Evan Turner"...

What do you think?

 

[Section201]

Not a Doctor but...

I am not a Doctor but geeze, I would not take a back injury so lightly that a game at the Barn would be considered more important than this kid's long term well being.

 

[OSUfan]

What's the issue with Turner's type of injury? Do you have to wait for the bones to heal, or is it an injury that you can play through the pain with?

The issue isn't as much bones healing as muscles reconnecting to the bones properly, according to what Matta has said. I believe it's the type of injury people can play through with pain - if you search for transverse process fractures on Google, you'll find a study on pro football players that found that players with fractures of the transverse process on two levels (which is what Turner has) came back in an average of 19 days. So I wouldn't look at him eyeing this "early" return as being too early, based on that study. He's still in the early stages of rehab, though, as last I heard he wasn't even running yet. But he doesn't seem to be in much pain when he's been shown sitting on the bench on TV.

 

[Saber]

The only concern I would really have about him coming back early would be people defending him when he posts up like he tends to do a lot in the half court.. where the defender usually puts a hand in your back

 

[KyGopherfan]

Even if he does come back, I doubt he'll be 100%. We'll still beat them in The Barn. I'm not concerned one bit.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I hope Turner is healthy and ready to play vs. the Gophers. In all likelihood this is my last chance to see him in person, and he's a fun player to watch.