The Arkansas basketball fanbase breathed a collective sigh Tuesday after Arkansas head coach John Calipari said junior forward Adou Thiero was going to be available for the Hogs' Sweet 16 matchup against Texas Tech on Thursday in San Francisco, but his availability may be more limited than previously thought.
Calipari said Tuesday on the Pat McAfee Show that Thiero should be available to play 12 to 15 minutes, but that number has gone down to between eight and 10. Thiero practiced with the team Tuesday, but Calipari said he held him out of practice Wednesday.
"(Adou) practiced yesterday, leg was bothering him today, so I didn't put him through anything," Calipari said Wednesday. "We'll see tomorrow. If we had eight to 10 minutes from him, in case of foul trouble, that would help."
The Razorbacks' leading scorer (15.6 points per game) and rebounder (six rebounds per game) hasn't seen the floor since Feb. 22 after he hyperextended his knee against Missouri. He practiced with the team after their first-round victory over Kansas last Thursday but did not suit up in the Round of 32 against St. John's.
Since Thiero's injury, fourth-year forward Trevon Brazile has stepped in and stepped up. In the eight games Thiero has missed, Brazile has scored in double figures six times and has logged four double-doubles.
Calipari said the team as a whole has stepped up amidst the Razorbacks' late-season injury struggles.
"Trevon Brazile took advantage, unbelievable," Calipari said. "D.J. (Wagner), how about it gave Billy (Richmond III) a chance to play big minutes. They all took advantage. Karter (Knox) took advantage."
If he plays, Thiero will be the second Razorback to make his way back onto the floor from an injury during this year's NCAA Tournament. Freshman point guard Boogie Fland played in both of the Razorbacks' tournament games last week after he was sidelined for almost two months after thumb surgery.
The Razorbacks and Red Raiders will tip off at 9:09 p.m. CT from the Chase Center in San Francisco. The game will air on TBS/TruTV.
