Sophomore point guard Lamonte Bearden is expected to return to the starting lineup for the men’s basketball team Tuesday night after missing two games and coming off the bench in Buffalo’s last game. Bearden has been bothered by a foot injury that occurred before the Bulls’ (10-9, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) victory over Central Michigan on Jan. 16.
“He’s playing [Tuesday],” said head coach Nate Oats, “and we’re going to need him. He’s close enough to 100 percent. I don’t know if he’ll be 100 percent.”
Bearden said his foot is “95 percent,” but doesn’t expect to experience a setback and will play in Tuesday’s matchup no matter what. The sophomore came off the bench in Buffalo’s last game, a 91-71 loss to Western Michigan on Saturday, and got 22 minutes only because he was needed. Buffalo began the game on the opposite end of a 17-2 run and Oats put him in the game in hopes to provide a spark off the bench.
Bearden leads the team in points (12.5 per game), assists (3.2 per game) and steals (24) this season and plays the second-most minutes on the team with 28 per game.
The Bulls host Ball State (13-6, 4-2 MAC) at Alumni Arena Tuesday night. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
Jordan Grossman is the co-senior sports editor and can be reached at jordan.grossman@ubspectrum.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jordanmgrossman.
