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TJ Leaf injured in latest Bruins Win

By Evan Lovett

Feb 12, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) shoots a free throw in the second half of the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 78-60. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 12, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) shoots a free throw in the second half of the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 78-60. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Star freshman TJ Leaf was helped off the court after spraining his ankle five minutes into UCLA’s 98-66 thrashing of Washington on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA (27-3 overall, 14-3 Pac-12), won the game but may have lost something more significant – their leading scorer (16.3 ppg), a chance for a top seed in the NCAA tournament or momentum.

The injury, right now diagnosed as a sprained ankle, could take any where from one to 12 weeks to heal, depending on severity. Matt Cummings of the UCLA Daily Bruin reported that doctors have ruled out the possibility of a broken ankle.

There is one regular season game left for the Bruins – versus Washington State on Saturday – which Leaf is nearly certain to miss. The Pac-12 tournament begins March 8th, which would give Leaf one week in crutches and a walking boot in an attempt to stabilize the ankle prior to the conference event in Las Vegas.

Otherwise, the NCAA Tournament begins on March 16th. That would give Leaf two weeks of recovery time, well within the confines of a Grade 1 sprain.

Leaf, projected as a lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft, is a huge factor for the Bruins. In addition to the scoring, he is second on the team in rebounding (8.4 rpg), third in blocks (1.2 bpg) and is a 46% shooter from the three-point line.

Gyorgy Goloman is the likely replacement for Leaf. Goloman, a 6’11” Junior,  is strong defensively (0.8 bpg in only 11 minutes per game) and averages 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in limited time. Goloman had eight points and six rebounds in 26 minutes against the Huskies after Leaf’s injury.

Additionally, the Bruins are expected to go with a four-guard lineup featuring Isaac Hamilton, Lonzo Ball, Bryce Alford and Aaron Holiday.

The tempo of the explosive combination of guards is difficult for teams to defend, but it featured prominently during the Bruins’ three losses, so coach Steve Alford has been reluctant to use it during their recent eight-game winning streak.

Next: Rams Unveil New Helmets For 2017

With Leaf sidelined, they may no longer have a choice.

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