CJ Williams doubtful for Miami
Crap.
We got word today that CJ Williams is doubtful for NC State’s key match-up with Miami on Sunday after injuring his shoulder last night against Boston College. As of today, Miami sits just a few spots AHEAD of NC State in the current RPI. Road wins typically take on greater magnitude in the RPI…so Sunday’s game at winnable Miami takes on a particularly important opportunity for the Wolfpack’s NCAA Tournament hopes.
NC State head coach Mark Gottfried said senior guard C.J. Williams was doubtful for Sunday’s game. Williams sustained a shoulder injury in the second half of Thursday’s 76-62 win over Boston College.
“The only update that I have is that we’re not doing a MRI,” said Gottfried. “Our doctors feel like they want to take a look at him today.
“I’m hopeful that he will be able to play but I would say right now it is doubtful. Doubtful but hopeful, and we will see here, but there is such a quick turnaround.”
Williams was further examined by the Wolfpack’s medical staff after last night’s game was over and right now the plan is to give him as much treatment and rest as possible.
“He did have some range of motion last night with our doctors,” Gottfried stated. “They didn’t feel like it was necessary just yet because the treatment would be the same for right now. Let’s watch for 24 hours and see how he responds.
“We will not do anything with him today, hold him out completely in practice. I don’t even want him to shoot a foul shot. Let his shoulder rest, and we will see tomorrow how he feels.”
A senior guard from Fayetteville, North Carolina, Williams has started every game for the Wolfpack this season. He is averaging a career-high in scoring (12.1), and is also NC State’s top perimeter defender.
With the Pack facing Miami and talented guards Malcolm Grant (13.4 ppg) and Durand Scott (12.9 ppg) on Sunday, Gottfried said he is certainly concerned about the possibility of not having Williams available.
“Obviously [I'm concerned],” said Gottfried. “We’re a team that has played a rotation of seven guys a lot so we’re a team that can’t afford injuries. But, if he can’t play then we have to respond and find another avenue.
“If C.J. Williams is out, collectively between Lorenzo, Scott, Alex, and whether it’s Tyler Harris, we have to do a nice job collectively [on defense]. Injuries are a part of athletics. If we have to play without him you move on. We don’t make excuses about it. Somebody else has to step forward.”
27 Responses to “CJ Williams doubtful for Miami”
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With absolutely no depth at the guard position, this hurts a lot. I think AJ is a stretch as a back up and will be totally overpowered as a starter.
I hurt my shoulder once and could not shoot right for 6 months. I hope he heals quickly. I might be willing to put a one armed CJ out there just to play defense.
Praying the injury isn’t serious and C.J. will be able to play Sunday. However; don’t take a risk and play him if he isn’t ready. It’s a long season and we’ll need him down the road.
I will pray for CJ as I’m sure he doesn’t want to miss a single minute of his senior season.
It looks like Gott will look toward Tyler Harris to fill in. Looks like we will get to see if he’s any good. It will be a baptism by fire for sure.
Didn’t I read that Miami is particularly strong at guard? Like two guys averaging just under 10 points per game? How are they with outside shooting? I’m hoping Scott’s length substitutes OK for CJ and we can get enough wings in and dominant inside play to compensate for his absence.
It was said after the GA Tech game that State’s not good enough defensively to have a bad night offensively. Hopefully the team defense has improved more than just CJ Williams’ and we don’t have an off night on offense too.
Time for the bench to step up and make a statement.
I hope he can play, but we are going to need Harris to step up either way.
BTW – Cool tweets from players getting to see camp out for Carolina game for first time. Ugly weather for camp out though…ugh.
Ohh noes.
Get well soon young man. We need you.
Whittenburg went down for a while in ’83, and we all know what happened when he got back
In the Wake game we played pretty much without Leslie, as he scored no points, and we dominated them. So maybe Leslie will step it up this time with the other guys and we can again be successful this time, without the other CJ. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.
I camped out twice during my undergrad tenure. Once it set a record low temperature for the date, the other it snowed.
No pity for those camping this weekend! But we could at least have fires back then.
I got up one morning in 1983 at 3 am to go get tickets for the duke state game in reynolds. Somebody had a radio playing and it said the current temp is 9 degrees. We waited until 7 when the ticket booth opened. What a cold day and I think we lost with Mr Johnny Dawkins doing us in.
“Doubtful but hopeful…”
He knows how to speak our language.
If he can’t suit up tomorrow, I wouldn’t risk it against the Holes, either. Much to be said for keeping our powder dry for the next key stretch of games.
BJD95, I just don’t understand that thinking. If CJW can’t play tomorrow but he is healthy by UNC, what are you holding him out for? Are you saying at UNC is a lost cause? Is that the message we send to our team?
I think you judge it by his health and no other reason. While we fans can play the games projecting wins, the team can’t.
I’m saying I don’t take chances unless you are sure he’s healthy. You can’t know for sure until he sees game action. I wouldn’t risk a setback for a “1 in 500″ chance of winning, unless we can gauge how he responds to playing in the Miami game.
The Steelers took a huge gamble with Roethlisberger’s ankle at San Francisco, and it effectively ended their season.
MrPlywood Says:
January 20th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Whittenburg went down for a while in ’83, and we all know what happened when he got back
If memory serves me correct he came back against Wake Forest which was the last home game before the tournament. I was, at least at that game thanks to my now wife, and fondly remember it as one of the best games I have ever seen NC State play. Memory tells me that the final score was 130-89…..it was amazing.
Hope some of that magic rubs off on this team.
Are you suggesting that we have a “1 in 500″ chance of beating unc? If so, way to have faith in our team. Unc has shown that they are far from invincible this season and Strickland is out for the rest of the year! Fans like you really bother me.
From what I’ve seen so far this year, we have enough talent on this team to beat anyone in the ACC. GO PACK! GO GOTT!
Jedi- we have enough talent when healthy. Hopefully, Cj won’t be out long. We really can’t afford to lose anyone in our 7 man rotation and definitely not one of our starting 5
Whit came back @ either UVa or UMd.
We obliterated Duke. Ernie Myers went off.
Quit worrying about Williams and focus on the positive. Lo Brown is doing a great job at the point. AJ has had good minutes and is an able player. Leslie can be great when his head is screwed on straight, and lately he’s shown signs of having his head screwed on straight. Howell continues to improve, like Painter, and their turnaround this season has been remarkable. Wood may be the ACC’s best shooter, and his defense is much underrated. We’ve got not one but TWO fine, experienced coaches on the bench who seem to know what the hell they’re doing.
Plus, Les Robinson, Herb Sendek, Lee Fowler and Sidney Lowe are all gone and will be nowhere near Miami tomorrow.
Now, don’t you feel better already?
I’m just saying that you have to balance what, in my view, is a very significant risk against a very low chance of reward.
UNC is easily our worst matchup in the league. The game is on the road. UNC won’t take us lightly b/c this is the game that means the most to Roy. When was the last time an ACC team other than Duke won in Chapel Hill?
I believe in the program MG is building, and I love this group of players. That has nothing to do with me being able to objectively see situations where we are very unlikely to win. This season is a marathon, not a sprint. I will not place unrealistic expectations on them, and be pissy when they can’t fulfill a dream scenario.
I understand what your saying BJD95 but I still think we have better than a 1-500 chance. Sure Roy takes this game more serious than he or his UNC-BS fans will admit but don’t you think that, after the Miami game, Gott will turn his attention to UNC-BS and take it seriously too?? UNC-BS can be beaten in Chapel Smell.
Perhaps the loss of Williams in the game could play in our favor, making Miami think they have an advantage, and our guys step it up, like they did against Wake, when Leslie was scoreless. We smoked em! As for the UNC game next week, I feel we have a much better chance with this coach, than we did with Lowe, and I guess there will be no red jacket!
If Williams can’t go, how ’bout trying a Brown, Wood, Leslie, Howell and Painter line-up ? Make Miami adjust to our size…
Might be worth a try.