Solo Ball's Foot Sprain Has UConn in Limbo 24 Hours Before the National Title Game

The biggest game of UConn's season is Monday night against Michigan, and the Huskies might have to play it without one of their most important guards. Solo Ball is dealing with a foot sprain and his availability for the national championship game is very much up in the air, head coach Dan Hurley confirmed after UConn's 71-62 Final Four win over Illinois.

Ball showed up to the postgame presser in a walking boot. He won't practice Sunday, which means the Huskies are looking at a short window to get clarity on his status. "It's going to be tough to get an MRI on Easter, on a Sunday," Hurley said. That's the reality of being one win away from a national title when injuries happen at the worst possible time.

What Ball Brought in the Illinois Game

The 6-foot-4 guard put up 13 points and dished two assists in 28 minutes during the semifinal victory. For the season, Ball is averaging 12.9 points and 3.1 rebounds across 38 games, all of them starts. He's been a fixture in the UConn lineup all year as the team chases its third national championship in four years.

The Backup Plan if Ball Can't Go

If Ball is out Monday, the load shifts to freshman Braylon Mullins. Malachi Smith and Jayden Ross would also see more playing time as the Huskies try to get the job done without one of their rotation staples. It's not an ideal situation heading into the biggest game of the season, but UConn will figure it out if they have to.

Monday night will tell us everything. One win away from immortality, and now the Huskies are sweating a foot sprain and an Easter Sunday that won't give them the answers they need fast enough.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.