LAWRENCE (KSNT) - KU senior guard Kevin McCullar will not play in the 2024 NCAA tournament, KU head men's basketball coach Bill Self told reporters on Tuesday.
McCullar missed the Big 12 tournament, too. He's been battling a bone bruise on his knee and played in only 26 of KU's 32 games this season.
"He's out," Self said on Tuesday. "We're shutting him down for the tournament... He hasn't practiced in six weeks, basically. He hasn't done more damage to his knee but he tried to [play] and said that he just couldn't go."
McCullar averaged 18.3 points and six rebounds per game in his final season of college hoops. The former Texas Tech Red Raider is out of college eligibility after this season.
It's been a rollercoaster for the senior guard, who was given Honorable Mention AP All-American honors on Tuesday. On Monday, March 11, Self said McCullar would not play in the Big 12 tournament but was expected to play in the NCAA tournament. On Selection Sunday, March 17, Self said McCullar could 'hopefully' start practicing on Monday. Now, there is no more wondering as Self made it clear.
"Kevin is not going to play," he said. "He says his knee pain has not subsided any and it's too bad for him to be able to contribute."
McCullar most recently played on March 9, a loss to Houston, a game in which he was shut down at halftime. He scored 19 points in a Sunflower Showdown victory on March 5.
KU is hopeful that senior center Hunter Dickinson, who suffered a dislocated shoulder and also missed the Big 12 tournament, will play in the big dance.
"[Hunter Dickinson] looks great," Self told reporters in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. "He's practiced basically every day since Saturday and then the last two days he's been full contact."
Here's the latest from Lance Leipold, including an update on quarterback Jalon Daniels
Dickinson averages 18 points and 10.8 rebounds for KU this season and has played in 31 of the Jayhawks' 32 games.
