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Mark Pope said Kerr Kriisa has a "foot/ankle issue," not cramps

On3 imageby:Tyler Thompson12/08/24

MrsTylerKSR

Dec 7, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa (77) knocks the ball away from Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Khalif Battle (99) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

When Kerr Kriisa checked out of the game with 8:41 to go in the second half, everyone assumed he was cramping, especially as he was being stretched out by the trainer on the court and the bench. Turns out it’s more serious than that.

In his postgame conversation with Tom Leach, Mark Pope said that Kriisa is dealing with a “foot/ankle issue.” Pope said they will get some tests and imaging done on Sunday to see how serious it is. Kriisa came up limping after turning the ball over and trying to run back down the court to stop Ryan Nembhard from scoring.

Kriisa was able to limp back to the bench with the help of a trainer to see the end of the game. Afterward, he looked like he was in some pain in the background of this TikTok video by Brandon Garrison:

Kriisa got his first start as a Wildcat tonight in place of Lamont Butler, who is recovering from an ankle injury suffered at Clemson. Thanks to some impressive play by Jaxson Robinson at point, Kentucky was able to claw back and beat Gonzaga 90-89 in overtime, but moving forward, backcourt depth could become a major issue.

“Lamont came to shootaround today and we kind of tried to just push it a little bit. It just wasn’t working,” Pope said in his postgame presser. “I do think Lamont is making good progress, and hopefully, Kerr — Kerr is tough as nails. It would take a lot to keep him out of a game.”

Get well soon, Kerr and Lamont.

Kriisa scores his 1,000th career point

With Butler out, the pressure was on Kriisa, and he came out on fire, nailing a three to start the game. That three took his career point total to 1,000. He would finish with 8 points on 3-7 from the floor, 2-5 from three, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 turnover in 27 minutes.

Speaking of the 1,000-point club, Koby Brea is just four points away after tonight at 996. Another milestone to keep an eye on.

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2025-01-20