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For like the 10th time this season already, State basketball fans are crying uncle.
After suffering mass attrition following the retirement of Rick Stansbury, the loss of Jacoby Davis preseason due to an ACL tear, and the dismissal of Shaun Smith and Kristers Zeidaks, MSU today got even more bad news regarding the status of its 2012-13 basketball team.
Freshman guard Andre Applewhite will miss the entire 2012-13 season with an ACL injury, the team announced today. Applewhite suffered the injury in practice this past Friday, and we found out over the weekend that he was having the tests done to determine the extent of his injuries. Then, there was this last night from assistant coach Wes Flanigan, which all but tipped off the results of Andre's MRI:
Bulldog family lift Andre up!Will only make all of us stronger!Special kid!HAILSTATE
— Coach Wes Flanigan (@CoachFlanigan) November 6, 2012
We wish all of the best to Andre, and we definitely wish him a speedy recovery process as well.
As for the ramifications to the team roster for this season, well I doubt I have to tell you what the loss of Applewhite for the season does to the 2012-13 edition of the Bulldog basketball squad. State's roster for this season will now feature 8 scholarship players, as well as 2 walk-ons, bringing the total to 10 healthy players who could ALL see time. In comparison, last year's squad featured 17 players, 13 of which (I believe) were on scholarship. One of this year's walk-ons, Tyson Cunningham, will now be forced into more playing time, to help cover for the loss of Andre. He played 14 total minutes last season.
We do nothing but support the MSU basketball team here at FWtCT, and will continue to do so, but I truly cannot express to our readers just how difficult this season will be for Rick Ray and company. I think many are still expecting the team to be in the double digit win range, but that would have been a tall task even with both Davis and Applewhite healthy and able to play. Now you're talking about having essentially a 4 deep bench, with one of those 4 being a walk on, and 5 of the 8 scholarship players being first year players at MSU. Buckle up State fans, because this winter is going to be a bumpy ride for MSU basketball.
As always, Hail State.