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Lifelong Frog
TCU C Malick Diallo Suffers Torn ACL
Jamie Plunkett
Things have gone from bad to worse for TCU men's basketball. Less than 24 hours after their season-opening upset loss to New Orleans, the team announced that starting center Malick Diallo will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
Diallo suffered the injury with 8:29 left in the first half of TCU's 78-74 loss, after going up for an offensive rebound. He played just six minutes, recording one rebound and a blocked shot. An MRI revealed the extent of Diallo's injury on Tuesday, and he'll undergo season-ending surgery later this week.
TCU expected a lot from the sophomore center after letting Ernest Udeh Jr. walk in the transfer portal. After averaging 2.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game as a true freshman, Diallo was expected to get the bulk of the minutes at center for the Frogs this year. In his absence, TCU will turn to Vianney Salatchoum, who transferred from FIU this offseason, as well as David Punch.
Unfortunately this isn't a new issue for Diallo, who suffered a similar injury as a senior in high school. He tore his right ACL in the first game of his season with Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. TCU wasn't sure if he would even be ready to play last season, but he got to campus well ahead of schedule with his recovery. Hopefully something similar lies ahead with this injury.
