Smith could be out for basketball opener
As the North Dakota State men’s basketball team approaches the 2006-07 season, some questions have come up about its health.
The teams’ top two leading scorers from the 2005-06 season, forward Andre Smith and guard Ben Woodside, have suffered injuries over the offseason that resulted in the need for surgery.
Last week during a practice, Smith reported a slight pain below his stomach, and later found out it was a sports hernia.
“ I don’t know how it happened,” Smith, a senior, said of the injury. “I noticed it one day, had a doctor check it out, and (the doctor) said it was a hernia.”
Minor hernia surgery has about a three to six week recovery period and the first exhibition game for the Bison is November 4 when they host Minnesota State University-Moorhead.
If he is not able to recover quickly, head coach Tim Miles will have to search for someone to fill Smith’s spot in the starting lineup.
Miles would not comment on who would possibly take Smith’s spot, but Smith said, “It’s up in the air, but if I had to pick right now it would be (Tom) Lunde.”
Lunde is a 6-foot-8 sophomore who sat out most of last season with a concussion.
This is not the only ailment Smith has had to work through this offseason.
Miles said Smith also minor injuries to both of his feet.
Last season, in his first year with the Bison after transferring from North Dakota State College of Science, Smith averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game.
Smith hopes to have surgery this week to repair the hernia and believes he will be back before the season begins.
“ I’ll be back right before the season starts and with a little time to get some practice in,” Smith said.
The news of Smith’s hernia came shortly after Woodside was fully-cleared to play.
Woodside, a sophomore, who last season was named Division I Independent Most Valuable Player by Collegeinsider.com, underwent surgery on his left wrist in June at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
He wore a cast for three months after surgery and now must wear a brace while playing.
“ I’ve been shooting with like a brace on for a while now and it really hasn’t affected it (his shot) much,” Woodside said. “I just have to get used to it.”
Despite the injuries, Miles is upbeat about the progress of the players.
“ I don’t think that we will see an effect on Woodside’s injury,” Miles said. “But Andre is a real toss up; it just depends when they can get him in for surgery.”