Myles Johnson gives injury update ahead of matchup vs. Houston

INDIANAPOLIS — The energy is still high for Rutgers coming off their first tournament win in 38 years.

For Myles Johnson, that same energy was able to get him through the win over Clemson after taking a hard fall.

“He’s getting treated; won’t practice today,” Pikiell said early Saturday afternoon. “Hopefully he’ll be okay. Don’t know anything more than that until he tries to move on that.”

Johnson came down hard in the first half after going up for a rebound. He limped off the floor but was able to contribute well on the defensive end. He finished just 1-for-3 with two points but grabbed 10 rebounds with three blocks and three steals.

“Going up to block (a Clemson guard’s) floater I just fell awkwardly,” Johnson said during a news conference on Saturday. “It was my tailbone. And the trainer got to me, and kind of just massaged it during the game. A lot of adrenaline in the tournament so adrenaline got me through that one.”

Johnson returned a few minutes after the fall. In the second half, he tweaked his ankle and was unable to return.

Against a Houston team that rebounds well on the offensive end, as the have the 2nd best offensive rebounding rate of any team in college basketball. Rutgers will need Johnson down low to control the glass. He is the teams leading rebounder and currently has the 40th best offensive rebounding rate and 41st best defensive rebounding rate in the country.

It is sounding like he is going to be in the lineup tomorrow.

“I’m working with (Rutgers trainer Rich Campbell) and hopefully I’ll be ready for the game (Sunday),” Johnson said. “Confident I am going to play. Rich is one of the best trainers around so I’m pretty sure he’s going to have me right. I’ve been working it all throughout the night, I had the stim machine on it to make sure I’m going to be right.”

The Scarlet Knights are scheduled to tip-off against Houston on Sunday at 7:10 PM inside Lucas Oil Stadium.