Despite the Nebraska basketball team improving to 19-0 on the season Wednesday night, a feeling of jubilation this morning has been replaced by worry and anxiety while Husker fans wait for the official news about Braden Frager's injury.
The redshirt freshman played just four minutes of NU's 76-66 win over Washington. He left the game after scoring his only points of the night on a layup where he came down awkwardly on his left ankle. After halftime, he returned to the court out of uniform and wearing a walking boot.
After the game, Nebraska basketball head coach Fred Hoiberg said the exact extent of the injury to Frager wasn't yet known, but early returns are that it's not as bad as some Husker fans first thought.
Braden Frager injury forces Nebraska to prepare for life without him
"He's pretty sore. We'll know a lot more tomorrow. Don't want to say too much until we see how he does overnight," Hoiberg told the media. "We'll X-Ray him tomorrow, just reall for precautionary reasons. Our trainer thinks everything's going to be fine. But right now, it's an ankle sprain and we'll know more tomorrow."
Hoiberg also addressed worries that surfaced among the fan base after Big Ten Network cameras caught the Nebraska star looking quite emotional on the bench. Several fans believed his body language meant he might be out for the season, or a large part of it.
"You feel for someone who puts so much time into his craft,” Hoiberg added. "To see him go down like that was tough and see and the emotion that came out. He has a passion for the game and plays with a swagger, and we feel for him but we’ll get through it."
Just when the official prognosis is expected to be released on Thursday isn't known. However, until it is, Nebraska has to expect to at least prepare for Saturday's game against Minnesota without a player who has averaged 12.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field. Braden Frager has also added an emotional spark to a team navigating a dream season.