Arkansas leading scorer Tramon Mark is unlikely to be ready to play Wednesday when No. 7 Duke visits Fayetteville for the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Mark, a transfer from Houston, was injured Friday in the Razorbacks’ 87-72 loss to North Carolina in the Bahamas. He was taken to the hospital but released after testing on his back and neck following a hard fall. He was in a wheelchair but aboard the team charter flight back to Arkansas on Saturday and saw a spine specialist on Monday, coach Eric Musselman said.
The challenge with Mark, who left the court on a stretcher but scored a career-high 34 points against the Tar Heels, is keeping him off the court.
“We had a player show up in his practice gear that was not going to practice,” Musselman said Monday on his radio show. “And was struggling to even walk, because his back was so sore. And now the hamstring is also sore. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a guy that there was absolutely zero chance that he was going to practice, and he put his practice gear on. Then he was going around station to station.”
Musselman said he kept Mark out of practice on Monday. He also said Mark’s improvement from Sunday to Monday was significant and called the junior transfer one of the most competitive players he has coached.
Trainers helping Mark with daily tasks — including reaching his living quarters on the third floor — are also keeping coaches apprised on Mark’s physical health. Musselman and his wife are checking in with Mark as well.
“If anybody is going to play as soon as his body will allow it, it’s T-Mark,” Musselman said.
Mark, who played the past three seasons at Houston, has started all seven games this season and averages 18.4 points and 29.6 minutes per game.
–Field Level Media
