Vanderbilt center Liam Robbins out for remainder of 2023 season with leg injury

Terrible news out of Nashville on Friday afternoon. Just as Vanderbilt was surging back into the NCAA Tournament picture, Liam Robbins has been declared out of the rest of the 2022-23 season with a leg injury which he suffered in Wednesday’s win over Kentucky. The team Twitter account posted the news, writing:

“Liam Robbins will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury. On and off the court, Liam has represented himself and Vanderbilt in a first-class manner. Wishing @liamrobbins_ a speedy recovery. #VanderbiltMan.”

Very tough loss for Vandy hoops, and right as they were playing their best basketball of the season, and perhaps of the entire Jerry Stackhouse era. Robbins had missed a chunk of time already in conference play but had returned recently to help Vanderbilt to win six of their last seven and sneak back onto the bubble. He was also their leading scorer this year at exactly 15 points per game.

Just a bummer for the Commodores. However, they were able to defeat Kentucky in Rupp Arena despite losing Robbins midway through the game, so this group is still capable of staying hot and making a run in the SEC Tournament.

Now that he’s done for this season, that likely puts a bow on a journeyman career for Robbins after five years in school. Who knows, maybe the NCAA finds a way to give him another year of eligibility. But as it currently sits, he’s through with college ball after two years at Drake, one at Minnesota and then two with Vanderbilt.

It’s a shame his senior year was cut short, because Robbins was having a career-best season. Before 2023, his best year stats-wise came as a sophomore at Drake, where he averaged roughly 14 points and seven rebounds. In two years with afterwards with power five programs he failed to match those numbers but then averaged a 15-point and 6.8-rebound stat line with the best shooting numbers of his career from the field and from three.

Ah shucks. Well, good to see Vandy can still scrap with the top clubs in the conference even without him. But the already unlikely road to the NCAA Tournament just added another massive pothole for the ‘Dores.