The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BACK on the court just in time to see his team make a run in NCAA Conference tournament play, Buddy Hield looks to be near to full strength headed into the postseason.

In just his second game back following last month’s surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot, Hield came off the bench to finish with 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the Sooners’ 70-67 loss on the road to Texas Christian University in the regular season finale.

The Phillips 66 Big 12 tournament tips off today and the Sooners (20-10) are slated to face the Iowa State Cyclones (21-10) in the quarter-finals in Kansas City, Missouri.

The teams split the regular season matchups with the Sooners taking an 83-64 win at home February 4 and the Cyclones protecting home court with a 86-69 win on March 2.

Hield suffered a broken bone in his foot February 11 in a win over TCU and was expected to miss up to four to six weeks.

He he stepped awkwardly on a TCU defender’s foot while chasing a loose ball and had to be helped toward the sidelines.

After the game it was discovered that he sustained a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot and underwent surgery February 12. He missed just five games and returned March 6 against West Virginia.

The freshman guard entered the game midway through the first half to a standing ovation in Norman, Oklahoma, and multiple signs of support from the crowd, a few which read - “Welcome Back, Buddy” and “Buddy Healed.”

Just hours after his surgery, he was present at the Sooners’ practice session, continuing to be a charismatic leader for the young Sooners squad.

Hield finished the regular season with averages of 8.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and two assists per game for the Sooners.

He is the Sooners’ fourth leading scorer, third leading rebounder and steals leader.

The Big 12 tournament is key for the Sooners as they need to contend to bolster their NCAA tournament r�sum�, if not win the tournament outright to earn an automatic bid.

After beginning the season as a key reserve, Hield emerged as one of Oklahoma’s best defenders, worked his way into the starting lineup in mid December and has helped revitalise the Sooners’ programme into Big 12 contenders.