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Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein out for national championship game

Willie Cauley-Stein led the Wildcats in Blacks with year with 2.9 a game. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Willie Cauley-Stein led the Wildcats in Blacks with year with 2.9 a game. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Kentucky center Willie Cauley-Stein will not play in the national championship game on Monday, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Cauley-Stein injured his left ankle during the team's victory over the Louisville Cardinals in the Sweet Sixteen. The sophomore center called missing the championship game "tough" and "heartbreaking."

Despite coming off the bench, Cauley-Stein averaged 23.8 minutes per game and averaged 2.9 blocks to lead the team.

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Kentucky has relied on extended minutes from starter Dakari Johnson, as well as an increased presence from freshmen forwards Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee, since losing Cauley-Stein.

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