Heath expects Famous back Saturday

Posted Feb 17, 2010 by Scott Carter

Updated Feb 17, 2010 at 01:05 PM

The morning after USF’s 65-57 victory over Cincinnati, USF coach Stan Heath voiced a more definitive tone about the availability of junior C Jarrid Famous for Saturday’s key Big East home game against St. John’s.

“We were missing a really important piece,’’ Heath told WDAE 620-AM on Wednesday morning. “We do expect him back by Saturday.’’

Famous missed his first game of the season on Tuesday after suffering a sprained right knee in practice Monday when he got tangled up with teammate Alex Rivas.

Rivas made his first start of the season in Famous’ place Tuesday, failing to score and picking up three fouls in 13 minutes.

In 24 games, Famous is averaging 11.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per game.

Following Tuesday’s victory over the Bearcats—USF’s fourth consecutive win at the Sun Dome—Heath sounded more uncertain about Famous being able to play Saturday.

Heath said that after Famous suffered the injury Monday, that he “had a limited range of movement and he was really in a lot of pain. They [doctors] feel pretty good that it’s a slight meniscus [injury] and something he should be able to play with on Saturday. He’s going to get a full MRI [today] just to make sure there’s not anything else there.’‘

Meanwhile, Heath expects 6-foot-10 F Augustus Gilchrist, who has played two games since returning from a two-month layoff due to an ankle injury, to contribute more down the stretch. In his first two games back, Gilchrist is averaging 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds, down significantly from the 18.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in eight games prior to getting hurt.

“Jarrid is kind of a double-double guy for us, and we were real worried about not having him [against Cincinnati],’’ Heath said. “We’ve been so short-handed just playing with two post guys. [Gilchrist] is a welcome addition. I think as time goes on, he’ll be doing more and more things like he did early in the season.’’