SEATTLE -- Memphis won't be at full strength going into Friday's first-round NCAA tournament matchup against Colorado State with Tyrese Hunter still out with the left foot injury he suffered during the AAC semifinals.
Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway said Thursday he didn't have an update on his first-team All-AAC guard. But minutes before, Hunter told reporters he would not be playing and he spent the Tigers' open practice period on the bench in a walking boot.
"I think because we took care of business in the conference tournament, we prepared ourselves to be much more ready to adapt to anything, because we had a week off before we played," Hardaway said. "Now, with the short turnaround ... we'd really had a lot of time to put in a lot of stuff because we had already worked on ourselves."
Hunter did not appear in Memphis' AAC championship win over UAB after getting injured in the semifinal against Tulane. Sophomore Baraka Okojie made his first career start in the title game, finishing with five points and four assists.
Hunter had started all but one game this season, averaging 13.4 points per game. His only other absence, on Feb. 9 against Temple, ended a streak of 129 straight starts dating back to his freshman year at Iowa State and continuing through sophomore and junior campaigns at Texas.
Hardaway had slightly more concrete news on Dante Harris, who hasn't played since March 4 with an ankle injury, saying he started running again Tuesday. But Harris also watched Thursday's practice from the sidelines.
The uncertain situation leaves the Tigers with three backcourt combinations for Colorado State to prepare for.
"Of course, it's always easier when you know 100% who's going to play and who's not going to play, but I don't think it changes it a lot," CSU coach Niko Medved said. "Coach Hardaway does such a great job with his guys."
