LSU junior forward Tasmin Mitchell will undergo surgery on Thursday after X-rays determined a stress fracture in his left ankle, Tigers coach John Brady said.
Mitchell started the first three games of the season, extending his starting streak to 71 straight games (every game of his career), but was able to go only six minutes in the first game at the EA Sports Maui.
Invitational over the holidays before going to the bench.
"We are glad to now know the situation and that it will be a 6-8 week ordeal," Brady said. “I feel bad for our team and I feel bad for Tasmin. We all know how hard he worked and he had gotten himself into the best shape of his career. We just have to control the things with this team that we can control. Tasmin was so important to what we had planned to do.
That's 15-to-16 points and eight or nine rebounds a game that we've got to pick up somewhere else.
Brady did say that if circumstances warrant and he is unable to return this season, Mitchell would apply for a medical redshirt and return to the team for the 2008-09 season with two years of eligibility remaining.
For the three games, Mitchell scored 22 points with 17 rebounds. He was the team's leading returning scorer entering this season, having averaged 14.7 points and six rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2006-07. He helped lead LSU to the Final Four in 2005-06 and was named to the freshman All-SEC team.
"I'm kind of nervous,' Mitchell said after learning of the diagnosis. "I've never had surgery. But this is the best decision, to go ahead with the surgery and there is a good chance I will probably not be back this season."
LSU is 3-2 and plays Nicholls State on Wednesday night - bet on the game at WagerWeb.com.
BRUINS DUO TO PLAY: UCLA star freshman Kevin Love and junior forward Alfred Aboya were both cleared to play in Wednesday's game against George Washington after sustaining injuries in Friday's home win over Yale.Aboya suffered a fractured right orbital bone and left the game with blurred vision. However, the Cameroon native took part in a full practice Tuesday wearing protective goggles. Aboya is averaging 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds after starting all six of the No. 1 Bruins' games this season.
Love, meanwhile, turned his ankle Friday but practiced fully on Sunday. The freshman is leading UCLA with 19.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He was named the Pac-10 Conference Player of the Week on Monday.
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OLSON BACK? Arizona coach Lute Olson returned to practice on Monday night, but his status for the Wildcats' game on Wednesday night is still unclear.
"He came back and participated in practice and film session," said Arizona interim coach Kevin O'Neill.
"It was good to have him back."
Olson has been away from the team for the past three weeks to attend to a personal matter. In a statement, Olson said it was not related to his health.
O'Neill said he expects Olson to return for Tuesday's practice and coaches' meeting, but has not yet been told whether the 73-year-old Hall of Famer will be on the sidelines for Wednesday night's home game against Cal State Fullerton.
The Wildcats are 3-2 without Olson coming off an overtime loss to Kansas.
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