SALT LAKE CITY, UtahUpon further evaluation and the review of information
from tests that were completed yesterday on University of Arizona junior
center Loren Woods, UA team physicians have not cleared him to play, and as
a result, he will miss the rest of the season.
The back injury, which is a compression injury to the disc that involves
the bone, was believed to have occurred in the Washington State game at
Pullman, Wash., on Feb. 12, and forced him to miss the final six games of
the regular season.
Woods will have no long term problems due to the injury and he will make a
full recovery.
The Pacific-10 Conference's Newcomer of the Year, a first-team
All-Conference selection and Associated Press honorable mention
All-American, Woods averaged 15.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this
season for the 26-6 Wildcats. He also led the Pac-10 in blocked shots,
blocking a school record 102 (3.9 bpg). Earlier this season, he tied an
NCAA record by blocking 14 shots against Oregon in Tucson and had a
triple-double in the game (16 points, 10 rebounds, 14 blocks).
He was also named to the United States Basketball Writers Association's
All-District team and was a National Association of Basketball Coaches
All-District 15 selection.
Arizona, which is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament West Region, will
take on the Jackson State Tigers tomorrow in first round action at Salt
Lake City, Utah. Tip-off is set for 5:40 p.m. MST in the Jon M. Huntsman
Center.
