Injuries

[PK]

According to this mornings DMN, both Roberts and Hopkins will not play at Hawaii this week. Roberts did not even make the trip.

[Pony_Fan]

Without these guys, not good at all!!! BIG L on the Island.

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SMU starting guards hurting

Roberts not going to Hawaii; freshman could take Hopkins' place


09:02 PM CST on Tuesday, January 11, 2005


By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News



UNIVERSITY PARK – SMU will start its two-game West Coast trip minus starting shooting guard Derrick Roberts and possibly starting point guard Bryan Hopkins because of injuries.

Roberts, a freshman, did not make the trip to Hawaii on Tuesday and is awaiting the results of an MRI on his left knee. Roberts sprained the MCL in the knee before the start of the season. He aggravated the knee in practice on Monday night when Michael Dement fell on him.

SMU coach Jimmy Tubbs said Justin Isham would move from small forward to shooting guard to replace Roberts. Devon Pearson would start at small forward.

Hopkins, a junior from Lincoln, sprained his right wrist at the end of the Mustangs' loss to Nevada last Saturday. Tubbs said Hopkins' status for Thursday's game at Hawaii is uncertain. Hopkins has missed two games in his entire career. SMU plays at San Jose State on Saturday.

Freshman Jon Killen of Arlington Martin would start in Hopkins' place at point guard.

Losing both starters would be a major blow for the Mustangs, because the SMU coaches believe Roberts and Hopkins are their two best players.

Hopkins (17.5 points) leads the team in scoring. Roberts, an athletic guard with good leaping ability, averages 6.1 points.

[EastStang]

This is not good at all. Although, if Roberts needs to get well, by all means leave him at home. I hope that B-Hop can play, if not, it could be a long weekend out west. The good thing is that this is our last long weekend road trip to Hawaii, ever.

[PonyGirl]

Sure hope this isn't as serious as it sounds like it might be.
Got my fingers crossed re: Roberts' MRI.

[Hoop Fan]

If Hopkins doesnt play, SMU will have a very hard time competing. For all the crap Hop gets on this board about not being this or that, the fact is he is the one guy who is consistently aggressive and makes things happen. Some of our other guys tend to disappear for periods of time. You can see it. Someone on the team needs to force the shot or pass in traffic when this team collectively disappears into the passive funk we have seen from this group off and on, game to game, half to half, timeout to timeout, for years.

[DallasDiehard]

Agreed. Roberts has great potential (scoring, court vision, etc.), but losing Hop would be crippling (so to speak).

[ponyboy]

Isn't BHop's pet chicken still on the team? I mean if we used a scholarship on him perhaps the crippled fowl could step in for a game.

[LA_Mustang]

That's classy. And some people wonder why the average sports fan in Dallas doesn't like or care about SMU???

[EastStang]

Acutally, if BHop doesn't play, switch his jersey with his twin brother and let Hawaii play him like they would Brian. You might get some open passing lanes, or you might get turnovers, either way, it could make Hawaii play more tentatively early on.

[mavsrage311]

I like Roberts as well and think he will be a good player for us, but does the coaching staff really think he is a better player overall than Castro or Simpson??? The first time I thought Roberts could be a really good/great player was at the scrimmage/practice at midnight. He can jump out of the gym...but since, I have been really unimpressed with his shooting. His vision is good, and somewhat like that of a pointguard, but this guy badly needs to work on his shooting, that said, I still think he WILL become a good player for us

[Stallion]

isn't Roberts hitting something like 17 out 19 from the free throw line? There's no doubt he can shoot-he just needs the experience.

[Hoop Fan]

Roberts free throw % is excellent, which tells me his problem on jump shots is more his hurt shoulder than necessarily experience and feeling comfortable. Although, he will almost certainly play better with experience.

[Johnny Rock]

When you have [deleted] poor recruiting and an administration that is not fully commited to athletics, the injuries really expose SMU's lack of depth. Tubbs has his work cut out for him. Thanks, Turner, the Board of Directors, Copeland, and Dement for years of lousy basketball!

[mavsrage311]

I hope it's just his shoulder, but he has really been errant with his shooting in games, and shooting free throws is completely different than shooting a 3 with a hand in your face...I really hope it's his shoulder

[Pony_Fan]

This is not looking good.



SJSU beat La Tech last night. I am not sure we can win any games w/out Hopkins and/or Roberts..If Isham is out for a while too - I haven't heard anything....ugly!!