Chase McCarty Went Down, and No. 10 UH Fans Are Holding Their Breath

Chase McCarty, making his first start for the No. 10 Houston Cougars, went down with an apparent left knee injury in their 95-55 season-opening win over La Salle on Monday night. This is the kind of stuff that makes your stomach drop, even after a blowout victory. The forward had to be helped off the court with about 12 minutes left after a La Salle player tripped into the back of his left leg. McCarty had a solid 10 points, six rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot in his 20 minutes before the scary incident. There is no immediate word on how bad the injury is, but man, you just hate to see it.

A Win Overshadowed by Injury Scare

The Cougars totally dominated La Salle, securing their 18th consecutive season-opening victory, but everyone’s mind is on McCarty. He was playing great in his first start. Houston looked sharp, jumping out to a 20-3 lead and never looking back. They ended up shooting 54.4% from the field and 73% from the free-throw line. La Salle, on the other hand, made only one field goal in the first nine minutes and finished with a brutal 25% from the field and 18 turnovers. Ouch.

New Faces Stepping Up Big Time

Even with McCarty’s injury, there were some seriously impressive performances. Dedan Thomas Jr., an LSU transfer taking over at point guard, led all Cougars with 16 points. He also dished out five assists, snagged three rebounds, and crucially, had zero turnovers. His shooting from the field was a bit shaky at 2-of-7, but he was money from the charity stripe, hitting 11 of 14 free throws. Delrecco Gillespie added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Corey Hadnot II came off the bench strong with 14 points, 11 of those coming in the second half. Joseph Tugler, the lone returning starter from last season’s 30-win, Sweet 16 team, chipped in nine points and six rebounds as the Cougars had to replace four starters.

The Cougars showed they have serious depth, with five players hitting double figures. They looked sharp and ready to roll, but now the whole team, and every fan, is just waiting for an update on McCarty. It’s early in the season, and you absolutely need all your guys healthy. Let’s hope for the best.

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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.