DALLAS -- Star Houston guard Jamal Shead, the Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, suffered an ankle injury in the first half of the No. 1 seed Cougars' Sweet 16 game vs. No. 4 seed Duke on Friday night and had to be carried to the locker room by a pair of trainers. His status for the reminder of the game is officially questionable.
Shead suffered the injury on a drive down the right side of the lane where his right ankle flipped out as he went up for a shot. He missed the shot attempt and lied writhing in pain for several minutes before making his way back for evaluation. He did not return to the bench before the half.
This did not look good for Jamal Shead. Ugh. He had to be carried to the locker room heavily favoring the right ankle. pic.twitter.com/GRQiEsXVor
— Kyle Boone (@kyletheboone) March 30, 2024
Shead exited the game with 6:38 remaining in the first half and with No. 1 seed Houston leading 16-10. Duke then closed on a 13-6 run to end the first half and led the Cougars 23-22 at halftime.
Shead left the locker room before the second half with his leg elevated by a mobility scooter. He shed the scooter as he emerged from the locker room at halftime but during team warmups, he stood on the sideline with his sweats on and did not participate.
Jamal Shead appears to be using a scooter after going into the locker room pic.twitter.com/a24FjoYRwh
— CBS Sports College Basketball ???? (@CBSSportsCBB) March 30, 2024
Shead underwent X-rays on the injured right ankle and they were negative. He was sporting a heavy limp favoring his right ankle to start the second half and later had his ankle retaped and "will try to give it a go in second half at some point," the program announced on social media.