Eso out 6-8 weeks; needs foot surgery.
John Beilein announced that Eso Akunne will be out 6-8 weeks and requires foot surgery. This hurts especially on our scout team, and with Stu starting Eso might have been playing a few minutes at point guard to give Trey rest.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/012612aaa.html
January 26th, 2012 at 4:21 PM ^
Das no good ese.
January 26th, 2012 at 4:23 PM ^
Full release, if you're curious:
Akunne to Miss 6-8 Weeks Following Foot Surgery
Jan. 26, 2012
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan men's basketball head coach John Beilein announced today (Thursday, Jan. 26) that junior guard Eso Akunne (Ann Arbor, Mich./Gabriel Richard HS) will miss 6-to-8 weeks following surgery on his left foot.
"We all feel bad for Eso because he has worked so hard to work his way into this rotation," said Beilein. "His attitude, however, is so good that I am certain he will bounce back from this and return to practice as soon as he can. Eso has been a big part of this team’s success over the last two years, even if that does not show up in the box score. We hope he will be able to help this team again sometime in March!"
Akunne is scheduled for surgery Friday, Jan. 27, at the University of Michigan Hospital and will have a screw inserted into his left foot to help stabilize an injury on his fifth metatarsal.
Akunne has played in 12 games off the bench this season. Twice this season he scored a career-best five points -- Iowa State (Dec. 3) and Alabama A&M (Dec. 17) -- and has gone 7-for-8 from the field with a 4-for-5 tally from long range.
January 26th, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^
Ace, what exactly happened? Or how did it happen? I didn't notice anything during the game, other than Akunne coming out after halftime with the boot on.
January 26th, 2012 at 5:02 PM ^
No idea. I also didn't notice anything until they showed him in the boot and the release didn't go into any detail. Unfortunate injury, though—feel really bad for Akunne.
January 26th, 2012 at 5:17 PM ^
Thanks Ace. I agree. I was happy for him to be able to contribute this year. You can tell he is a guy that works his tail off and unfortunately something like this happens.
January 26th, 2012 at 4:27 PM ^
Burke has done an amazing job of replacing Morris as the starter, but Michigan would have Morris/Burke as its PG right now had Morris stayed instead of Burke/unknown. Morris's departure (for my own purely selfish fan reasons) may be my least favorite early Michigan entry into the draft of all time.
January 26th, 2012 at 4:33 PM ^
too bad it is too late for a redshirt. he's a good kid.
January 26th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
Trey has done an amazing job playing so many minutes without more foul trouble or (god forbid!) injury. He's the Denard of the team now. Much like Morris last year, Trey spends an awful lot of time dribbling around. It can look pretty bad as the shot clock runs down until whoa, there he goes finding the open man or getting a decent look.
Let's hope he can keep going at this level. Healing wishes to Eso… it hasn't been a good January for Michigan feet.
January 26th, 2012 at 6:45 PM ^
He's the egg mcmuffin of PG's.
January 26th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
With Morris here, Burke isn't playing at this level right now because he wouldn't have gotten all those minutes earlier.
This is a 6 man rotation team. Novak, Douglass, Burke, Hardaway, Morgan with Smot off the bench. Smot really has to not be a liablity on defense or at least start making some shots. If Horford comes back, I guess we're at 7 but we'll really have to wait and see where his game is.
Next year is starting to remind me of the year we lost Lee and Merritt. No one thought it would matter, but it did big time. Douglass and Novak are the same way. Although can you imagine next year? Burke, Hardaway, Horford, McGary and Robinson III with Morgan and Smot off the bench. That sounds like an NBA line up.
January 26th, 2012 at 5:02 PM ^
I'd still rather have junior Morris and not-very-experienced Burke than what Michigan has now, but I suppose there is no point in wishing for that. The ship has sailed and is wearing a Lakers jersey.
January 26th, 2012 at 4:50 PM ^
Does this mean more time for Carlton Brunddige?
January 26th, 2012 at 4:56 PM ^
I'd think so, but he's only played a total of 6 minutes since the beginning of the BIG schedule, so who knows?
I wouldn't be surprised if we see Stu move to the point for 8 or 10 minutes a game to give Burke a breather. Trey is averaging almost 35 minutes a game, which seems like too much when he's the primary ball handler as well as tasked with defending all the good PGs in the conference. It's a lot to ask from a freshman.
January 26th, 2012 at 5:15 PM ^
Argggh, Lewis Jackson. I blame you for Eso's injury. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a broken ankle, too, after that one shake n' bake move you put on him in the 1st half. I can't imagine trying to check Jackson when he's healthy.
Buckle up, Carlton. You will be needed for meaningful minutes at some point down the stretch.
January 26th, 2012 at 5:17 PM ^
I think this means we see more of Stu at point (even though he's been pretty effective lately elsewhere on the court) and more Carlton B. If it's crunch time and we need a backup, I'm almost positive it will be Stu.
January 26th, 2012 at 6:32 PM ^
Being a local kid and all (watched him play at Gabriel Richard-Ann Arbor) I always was excited when he got a chance out on the floor. Tough break for the man and the team. Heal quickly my friend.
January 26th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
he's my wife's favorite player. hope he can get some quality minutes when he's healthy again.
January 27th, 2012 at 9:13 AM ^
Definitely going to be missed- he was a great spark off bench (when Beilein remembered to use him) and if we get anymore injuries we are in real trouble for bench support. Get better soon Eso, we will need you in March.