Marcus Sasser will not start in AAC Championship vs. Memphis

Update: Sasser won’t be in the starting lineup for Houston in the AAC Championship vs. Memphis on Sunday afternoon.

Update: Sasser is being considered a game-time decision for the AAC Championship game on Sunday vs. the Memphis Tigers. The Cougars could hold Sasser out as a precaution with the tournament looming. Houston doesn’t have much to play for unless you think the difference between a 1-seed and 2-seed matters that much this year. If the Cougars win, they’ll likely get a 1-seed. A loss could knock the Cougars down to a 2-seed depending on what happens with Alabama and Purdue in their respective conference championships.

Update: Marcus Sasser walked out of the locker room, but did not warm up prior to the second half. Houston has officially deemed him as doubtful to return to today’s contest.

Houston guard Marcus Sasser suffered an apparent groin injury during the first half Saturday’s AAC Tournament semifinal matchup against ECU and is questionable to return. The AAC Player of the Year slipped while dribbling at the top of the key and went down awkwardly, staying down on the floor for an extended period of time. He was eventually helped off the court and was being evaluated by trainers on the bench. He was seen using a theragun before heading to to the locker room prior to the half.

The loss of Sasser is a huge blow to the Cougars, who are just two wins away from claiming a third straight AAC Tournament title. The senior guard has been excellent for UH this season, leading the team by averaging 17.5 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game. the Cougars are currently up by double-digit on the Pirates and we’ll see if they can maintain that advantage with the star guard not on the floor.