Guard Caleb Mills attacks the rim against Cincinnati last season. | Katrina Martinez/The Cougar
Sophomore guard Caleb Mills, who was named American Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year, has been dealing with injuries to both ankles, and his status for Saturday’s game against South Carolina is questionable.
“I do not know whether (Mills) will play or not (against South Carolina),” Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson told the media Tuesday morning. “We’ll have to wait and see. We’ll see what he can do at practice”
Mills did not play in Houston’s season opener against Lamar out of precaution for an ankle injury he suffered in practice about 10 days prior to the game.
Mills came off the bench and played 17 minutes and scored 12 points against Boise State.
Mills once again came off the bench for the Cougars Sunday against Texas Tech but injured his other ankle in the first half. Sampson noticed Mills walking very gingerly coming out of the locker room at half so he decided to shut Mills down for the rest of the game.
“The ankle he hurt the other day was his other ankle,” Sampson said of Mills’ injury versus Texas Tech. “So now, he’s got two ankle sprains.”
While Mills’ status is still up in the air for Houston’s matchup versus South Carolina on Saturday evening, Sampson and his staff will be careful with Mills to try to prevent further aggravating the injury.
“When you sprain your ankle and you come back, you’re always a little vulnerable,” Sampson said. “Every time he jumps and lands you kind of hope it’s a clean landing.”
