Kepnang Out for Season After Oregon State Mishap
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When we last saw Franck Kepnang he was lying in considerable pain on the baseline at Oregon State before getting helped to the locker room with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
The 6-foot-11 University of Washington center, a transfer from Oregon, had crashed to the floor in the second half, clutching his right knee, in a game the Huskies would lose 66-65.
On Saturday, the school confirmed that Kepnang, after playing just eight games for the UW, has been lost for the season.
On Sunday, the Huskies (6-2 overall, 0-1 Pac-12) will host Colorado (4-4, 0-1) at noon at Alaska Airlines Arena in their conference home opener.
With Kepnang done, this robs the UW of a difference-maker inside. In his eight games, he averaged 9 points, 6.3 rebounds and nearly 2 blocks per game.
The injury put a frustrating capper on what had been an uplifting week for the Cameroon native.
On Monday, the big man played with his mother seated in the crowd for the UW-Seattle U game, which the Huskies won 77-66. According to Husky coach Mike Hopkins, these Kepnangs had been separated for at least four years.
"That was the first time she'd seen him play in a live basketball game," the coach said. "Pretty special stuff."
As they left a near-empty arena, in an endearing moment, Kepnang stopped to take a photo of his mother with the basketball floor in the background.
Three days later, Kepnang was dealing with the crippling injury on his return to Oregon.
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