Will he play or won't he?
That was the big question on the eve of tonight's first-round NCAA game between Utah and Canisius. Actually the question applies to the status of each team's star player.Canisius' Darrell Barley, the MAAC player of the year, has been out for three weeks with a broken thumb. He has been practicing with the team lately and is likely to play.
However, Utah's all-American forward Keith Van Horn is questionable for the contest, which is scheduled to start around 8:20 p.m. MST at Reunion Arena (Channel 2).
Van Horn has been sick ever since last week's WAC tournament and hasn't practiced with the team. When the Utes arrived Tuesday night, he said he had a cold and was getting better, but by Wednesday morning he was much worse.
"Keith hasn't missed a practice in two years and now he has missed four in a row," said Ute coach Rick Majerus. "He has some type of flu, a viral strain and also has ulcers in the back of his throat. He may try to play, but won't play well. He'll try hard, but I don't know what to expect."
Ute trainer Gerald Fischer said Wednesday night that Van Horn was improving, but had achiness and a queasy stomach, which could have been connected to antibiotics he has been taking.
If Van Horn isn't able to go, the Utes will likely start Ben Melmeth in his place, give Jessie some minutes in Van Horn's spot and use Drew Hansen and Doug Chapman more.
Ute players are concerned but not overly worried about the prospect of Van Horn not playing tonight.
"Of course we'd miss Keith, but we've played without him before and done well when nobody expected us to play well," Mark Rydalch said.
"Hopefully the doctor can give him a pill to revive him, but if he doesn't play, we'll just go with what we've got," said Brandon Jessie.
Until Van Horn's illness was revealed, the talk has been about whether Barley would be able to play for the Golden Griffins. After Barley broke his right thumb, the team responded by winning the MAAC tournament after a 5th-place regular-season finish.
The Utes are hoping they can respond the same if Van Horn can't play and their opponents fully expect them to.
"He's a talented player, but I'm sure they've got guys who can step up and play just like we did this past week at the MAAC tournament," said Mickey Frazier.
The Golden Griffs' 6-9 center Micheal Meeks averages 16.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, the only other starter in double figures besides Barley. Other likely starters are Frazier (9.7) and guards Jarvon Moore (5.7 ppg) and Kevin Thompson (7.2). Ryan Collins, a 6-11 center, averages 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds.
The winner of tonight's contest meets the winner of the California-Iowa State game, Saturday at 12:20 p.m. MST.
GAME NOTES: Canisius has won all of of its three previous NCAA first-round games, in 1955, '56 and '57. Canisius is one of two teams, along with UCLA coming into the tournament on an NCAA winning streak, because it won its consolation game in '57 back when those games were played . . . The two longest games in NCAA tournament history involved the Utes and Golden Griffs. In 1956, Canisius played a four-overtime game against North Carolina State, while in 1961, Utah played a four-overtimer against St. Jospeh's . . . Utah is 20-20 in 17 previous NCAA appearances.