Wyoming’s Justin James Injured Shin, Not Knee
You could almost hear the fan base collectively hold its breath Saturday when the Wyoming Cowboys played at New Mexico.
With just over four minutes left in the game, senior guard Justin James drove the lane and then went down after colliding with a defender. He was helped off the court after a stoppage in play with what initially looked like something with his knee. James sat out the remainder at and slightly behind the end of the Cowboys' bench with an ice pack on his leg.
Good news Pokes fans, it was just a bruise to the shin and not anything with his knee. Fans, you can now breathe again.
James visited with the media by phone Tuesday morning and said he's playing Wednesday night.
"I'm expected to go tomorrow night. All that really happened was I just have a pretty bad bruise on my shin, just from colliding with another player from New Mexico. I've been getting a lot of treatment in, you know, after the game, today, tomorrow as well, and yesterday, for the shin, and I'll be fine, especially by tomorrow night."
Wyoming head coach Allen Edwards said, "He (Justin James) didn't practice yesterday, but probably get out there a little bit today (Tuesday), so he should be fine."
In a season where the Cowboy's have been decimated by injury, if James' had been more severe, it might have been the capper on the current season full of adversity. Thankfully, he's okay and will be in the lineup Wednesday for UW's next game versus San Jose State.
Edwards did mention that freshman Trace Young did not practice Monday with some sort of sprain in his foot. They're expected to tape it a certain way, so Young can give it a go Wednesday night.
Both Wyoming and San Jose State are winless in Mountain West Conference games, so one team will get back in the win column.