The NCAA Tournament National Championship Game is on Monday night, with No. 2 seed UConn battling it out against No. 1 seed Michigan. Both teams have star players limited by injuries, adding another dynamic to the matchup.
On the Huskies’ side of things, G Solo Ball is nursing a foot issue heading into the national title bout. What’s the scoop on his status, with UConn listed as 7.5-point underdogs in the most important contest of the season?
Here’s the latest Solo Ball injury update, as well as how it might impact PrizePicks player projections for the National Championship Game between UConn and Michigan.
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Solo Ball Injury Update vs. Michigan in NCAA Tournament
Ball played 28 minutes in UConn’s thrilling 71-62 triumph over Illinois in the NCAA Tournament National Semifinals. That includes 16 minutes post-injury, which could be due to adrenaline but also the fiery guard’s competitive toughness and grit.
After the game, Ball was spotted in a walking boot, with head coach Dan Hurley describing his injury as “some type of a foot sprain.” Following the ailment, Hurley deferred to the Huskies’ medical staff when asked about Ball’s potential availability for Monday.
Ball expressed quite a bit of confidence, saying “pain is temporary” and said he’d do everything in his power, planning to suit up for the National Championship Game.
Ahead of tip-off for Monday night’s game at 8:50 p.m. ET, Ball isn’t on the availability report. Regardless of how much he winds up playing, that’s a good sign that both the team and its starting guard envision him being active against Michigan.
Solo Ball & UConn Outlook vs. Michigan in National Championship
In 38 games this season, Ball is one of UConn’s top scoring options. The junior from Virginia averages 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. With that said, his efficiency lacks, as evidenced by his 39.2% field goal and 29.6% 3-point clips.
Someone’s got to take the shots, though, and Ball is comfortable doing so. Dating back to the start of the conference tournament on March 12, he’s put up 9.1 PPG on 9.1 attempts each time out. That’s come with a 40.4% effective field goal rate.
While Ball is far from a playmaking maestro, he does do a solid job of protecting the rock. Per Bart Torvik, 392 other players can match his usage rate (21.9%) and share of available team minutes (69.4%). In that group, he ranks 58th in lowest turnover rate at 11.7%.
Ball ranks third on the Huskies in per-game scoring, slotting in behind F Alex Karaban (13.1) and C Tarris Reed Jr. (14.8).
Solo Ball Projections, Picks vs. Michigan
Here are some top Solo Ball projections vs. Michigan tonight, via PrizePicks.
- 10 Points
- 1.5 Rebounds (Goblin)
- 0.5 Assists (Goblin)
- 14 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- 16 Fantasy Score
- And More
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Make UConn vs. Michigan National Championship Picks on PrizePicks
It appears that despite his foot injury, Solo Ball hopes to gut it out in the National Championship Game against Michigan. Ahead of the action, you can make predictions on his projected stats and so much more.
You can make your hoops picks on PrizePicks, earning real-money rewards if you’re right. Just pick at least two players and predict More or Less on their projected stats.
With PrizePicks Team Picks, make predictions on game winners, spreads, over/unders, and more — now available in 35 states!
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