According to ESPN.com, Onuaku has an injury to his right quadriceps and is officially listed as day-to-day, though coach Jim Boeheim doesn’t expect him to play when the Orange face the Catamounts at 9:40 p.m. ET in Buffalo.
“We’re not counting on him this weekend,” Boeheim said on ESPN’s First Take on Monday. “He’s made good progress, but I’m not overly optimistic.”
Onuaku appeared to injure his knee after coming down awkwardly after attempting to block Georgetown center Greg Monroe’s shot in a Big East tournament game the top-seeded Orange would eventually lose.
The fifth-year senior averages 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, combining with Rick Jackson to form a lethal interior combo.
Since the big man is listed as day to day, it begs the question of whether or not Onuaku would be in uniform if Syracuse were playing a team like Georgetown, as opposed to a relative minnow like Vermont. The Catamounts feature just one significant contributor taller than 6-foot-8 and are led in every major category by 6-foot-5 swingman Marqus Blakely.
Because Syracuse relies on the presence of Jackson and freshman DaShonte Riley, plus a stifling zone defense — not to mention the Catamounts’ lack of size and the talent gap between the two teams — it is likely that the Orange can waltz through to the next round (and possibly even the Sweet 16) with Onuaku in street clothes.
Former Vermont star TJ Sorrentine might remind them to think differently.
