CJ McCollum Out 8-10 Weeks With Broken Foot

Devastating news for Lehigh University and, really, all of college basketball: Mountain Hawks star guard CJ McCollum, who is currently the nation’s second-leading scorer at 23.9 PPG, has suffered a broken bone in his left foot and will be out at least eight weeks. The two-time Patriot League Player of the Year will surely be missed, as Leigh (9-4) will probably have to make a run at an NCAA Tournament birth without him. Via USAToday.com: “[McCollum] injured himself on a seemingly routine drive to the basket. He ended up hobbling and needed to come out of the game. Now, Lehigh will be forced to play most — if not all — of its Patriot League schedule without McCollum. Depending on how rehabilitation goes, there’s a chance McCollum could be back in time for the Patriot League tournament, which begins March 6. Count VCU coach Shaka Smart among those rooting for McCollum to have a speedy recovery. Smart said after Saturday’s game he was encouraged by McCollum’s positive attitude. ‘Watching him after (Saturday’s) game, he understands that he’s going to be back,’ Smart said. ‘He understands that he’s got a lot of basketball ahead of him. I don’t know how long he’s going to be out, but hopefully he comes back as soon as he can this year because they’ve got a heck of a team. With him in the lineup, they can literally beat anyone in the country.'”