Villanova guard Justin Moore sustained a torn right Achilles tendon in the final minute of Saturday’s 50-44 Elite Eight victory over Houston, the school announced Sunday.
The severity of the injury was detected during an MRI exam. Moore will undergo surgery this week and will be sidelined indefinitely.
“This is a tough blow for all of us, not just because of the great player Justin is, but because of what he means to us as teammates and coaches,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said in a news release. “As one of our captains, Justin has been an integral part of our success. He helps our team in so many ways. Every game, he guards the opponent’s best scorer and is one of the toughest rebounding guards we have had in our time at Villanova.
“Justin’s work ethic and dedication will help bring him through this recovery and we look forward to the day where we see him back on the court fully healthy.”
Moore sustained the injury after slipping while driving to the lane with 35 seconds left in the second-seeded Wildcats’ win over fifth-seeded Houston in the South Region final. The victory propelled Villanova into the Final Four for the seventh time in school history.
Teammate Collin Gillespie said he knows how Moore feels, having torn a ligament in his knee 12 months ago.
“I’ve been in that position before,” Gillespie said. “I know what it feels like. … He’s done so much for his team, always guards the best player, is one of our best offensive players and will do anything for any one of our guys on either end of the floor.”
Caleb Daniels would move into the lineup with Moore’s unavailability for Villanova (30-7), which will face Kansas on Saturday in New Orleans.
Moore ranks second on the team in scoring (14.8) in 36 games this season. He also averages 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists and is second on the Wildcats with 80 3-point field goals and was a second-team All-Big East selection.
Daniels is averaging 10.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season.
–Field Level Media
