CDR Out for Two Weeks

Tigers' top scorer out
MRI shows guard Douglas-Roberts suffers from mild high ankle sprain

By Dan Wolken
January 19, 2007

University of Memphis sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts won't play Saturday at East Carolina and could miss up to two weeks due to a high right ankle sprain.
The diagnosis of a mild high ankle sprain -- which typically is more debilitating than a normal ankle sprain -- was made Thursday after team physicians got the results of an MRI.

If Douglas-Roberts misses the full two weeks, that could encompass Memphis' next four games. But both Douglas-Roberts and coach John Calipari said it's possible he could be back next Wednesday against Tulsa.

"I don't want to rush it back," Douglas-Roberts said. "But it will be hard for me to watch."

Douglas-Roberts, who leads the No. 17-ranked Tigers in scoring at 14.8 points per game, suffered the injury in the first half of Memphis' 79-69 victory at Houston last Thursday when he landed off-balance on his right foot following a transition layup.

Douglas-Roberts returned later in that game and played two nights later at Southern Miss, where he scored 23 points. Despite feeling significant pain, Douglas-Roberts tried to play Tuesday against UAB but took himself out after the first whistle just 1:28 in.

"It could have been worse if I finished that UAB game," Douglas-Roberts said. "It could have been a tear."

Calipari said doctors will re-evaluate Douglas-Roberts on Monday and determine his status for the Tulsa game.

Though Memphis didn't miss Douglas-Roberts against UAB in a 79-54 victory, Calipari said it was "dangerous" to play a long stretch without him. Though Calipari said he wasn't sure how he would adjust the starting lineup, the most likely scenario is inserting junior Andre Allen or sophomore Doneal Mack.

Senior guard Jeremy Hunt, who averages 13.5 points, would also be a candidate, but Calipari said he likes getting instant offense from Hunt off the bench.

"The greatest thing about what we're doing is, do we start Andre and Willie (Kemp) together?" Calipari said. "Is Jeremy playing so well, he should be starting anyway? Or do we stick with what we're doing and just plug in Doneal, who played real well (against UAB)? Or do we go to the big lineup?

"Let's call in phone numbers and leave your votes. I don't know what we're going to do."