Allen says ankle will be 'alright'

Spokane, Wash. – The MSU men’s basketball team might now have another right ankle to worry about.

While junior guard Kalin Lucas’ has received significant attention since he injured his on Feb. 2 against Wisconsin, junior guard Chris Allen went down with what appeared to be a right ankle injury late in the Spartans’ 70-67 win against New Mexico State on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“Chris couldn’t come back and, yet, I think he’ll be OK,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said after the game. “And ‘OK,’ what does that mean? You know how injuries are, it’s overnight that makes a big difference.”

With 5:21 remaining in the game, Allen checked out and had trouble getting off the ground near the MSU bench. Lucas, who left the game shortly before having apparently re-aggravated his ankle, checked in for Allen and remained in the game for the duration.

Allen iced his ankle after the game and was in good spirits, saying he expected to play Sunday in the Spartans’ second-round game.

“I’ll be alright,” Allen said. “I’ll be good by Sunday. It’s just sore right now. Nothing big. Nothing major.”

Allen, who has emerged as one of the team’s best backcourt defenders, missed the Spartans’ first-round loss in the Big Ten Tournament because of a suspension for a violation of team rules. On Friday, he finished with one point, five assists and no turnovers.

Allen and Lucas both said they’ll be ready to play Sunday. Allen said, had the Spartans needed him, he could have checked back in Friday.

“I came back out pretty good, walking pretty good,” he said. “If I would have had to go back in, I could have gone back in. I don’t know how much I’d be able to do, but i could have gone back in and ran. I was feeling good enough to do that.”

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