Mick Cronin gives injury update following gruesome David Singleton injury

In the final seconds of UCLA‘s 68-63 Round of 32 victory over Northwestern, Bruins guard David Singleton planted wrong on his ankle and appeared to severely roll his ankle. Head coach Mick Cronin revealed some positive news on the status of Singleton after the game.

“Looks like he didn’t break his ankle, which I was worried that he did,” Cronin said postgame. “I was having flashbacks to when I had a full head of hair in the spring of 2000 running out there and Kenyon Martin was playing there. Looks like he’s got a bad sprain.”

Cronin, who coached Martin in Cincinnati as an assistant at the time, is referring to his broken leg suffered during that season’s Conference USA Tournament. It’s one of the worst-timed injuries in NCAA basketball history, as Martin’s injury cost the Bearcats a conference tournament title, their No. 1 ranking, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a national championship.

Martin was the consensus National Player of the Year that season, so having Cronin compare losing Singleton on the same level as a Kenyon Martin at Cincinnati speaks wonders to how highly Cronin thinks of his senior guard.

The injury occured with just over 20 seconds left in the game. The Bruins led the Wildcats by four, and were trying to pass the ball around to avoid getting fouled and run out the clock. Singleton was given the ball, but one wrong step saw his ankle turn sideways and he immedietely fell to the ground writhing in pain.

Singleton finished the game with five points and six rebounds after being awarded his 15th start of the season. His status for next week’s Sweet 16 game against the winner of TCU and Gonzaga is up in the air as of this report.

The fifth-year senior hasn’t missed a single game for UCLA in his entire collegiate career. Spending all five years in Los Angeles, his hometown, Singleton has played in 163 career games logging 39 starts and averages 20 minutes per contest. He’s been a long-time steady hand for the Bruins, and to see his college career potentially end in such an unfortunate manner is heartbreaking for Singleton, Cronin and the rest of the UCLA family.

Regardless of Singleton’s status, UCLA will be forced to go ahead with or without him as they prepare for Thursday’s Sweet 16 action. Tip times are still TBD until Sunday’s Round of 32 action is completed.