Houston Cougars Forward Shares Positive Injury Update
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Every time a Houston Cougars basketball player seems to suffer a serious injury, Coog fans hold their breath, given the previous history of unfortunate injuries around the program over recent years.
Whether it was Marcus Sasser or Jamal Shead’s setback during tournament season, some of these results have not gone well.
However, there is likely good news related to the injury of redshirt freshman forward Chase McCarty.
On Wednesday night at TCU, McCarty came off the bench as he normally does and got right involved. At the 7:12 mark of the first half, the 6-foot-5 forward banked in a 3-pointer, but was in visible pain immediately after.
He ran off the court and signaled to coach Kelvin Sampson to get himself out of the game. In fact, McCarty had to take a few minutes out of bounds near the stands to handle the pain.
McCarty got an X-ray on Wednesday night itself and got an MRI on Thursday. Official results from that are not available at the moment, but it seems like the injury might be trending in the right direction.
Good News for The Key Bench Player
McCarty mentioned in a post-practice media availability while still wearing a wrist immobilizer that he is optimistic about the injury.
“I’m moving it around well. I was able to shoot a couple of free throws. I’m feeling pretty good. No break or fracture, nothing like that,” McCarty said.
University of Houston forward Chase McCarty says he's optimistic his left wrist injury isn't too bad. Still wearing immobilizing brace, had x-ray last night. "No break, no fracture," he says. pic.twitter.com/oyPU1jAh5A
— Chris Baldwin (@ChrisYBaldwin) January 30, 2026
The Madison, Alabama native described the injury and what exactly happened.
“Freak accident. I’m going into my shot…on my left side I feel two pops and pain after,” McCarty said.
Sampson said in his weekly radio show on Thursday that McCarty has some kind of ligament issue in that left wrist and it’s a matter of pain management for now. Houston’s head coach mentioned it locked up during the game.
McCarty is still surprised he somehow made the only shot he attempted.
“I don’t know how. I thought it was an air ball,” McCarty said.
Nobody else was available off the bench towards the end of the game to substitute for senior guard Ramon Walker Jr., so the former four-star prospect from the IMG Academy played two possessions with the wrist wrapped up. McCarty even got a rebound in his one total minute of action.
McCarty has turned into a key bench role for the Cougars this season, and currently averages 3.4 points per game and 2.2 rebounds, while shooting 30% from three and 85% from the free throw line.
Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.