Evan Turner returning; and other roster updates

Ohio State fans got good news Wednesday.

According Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch, Evan Turner will be available for the Buckeyes is he can make it through practice today without any complications. No word yet on how the practice went.

Turner was the favorite for national player of the year before he fell of the rim and broke two bones in his back. Turner was averaging 20.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg, and 6.6 apg before he was injured, and without that production, OSU has gone just 3-3, losing their first two Big Ten games.

If Turner can get back to 100% sooner rather than later, OSU seems to still be destined for the NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State wasn't the only school that got some roster news today:

• Xavier didn't just lose a game on Sunday. Mark Lyons suffered a "severe bone bruise" in his left knee in the Muskies loss to Wake Forest, and will miss the next two games - at La Salle and at GW. Lyons, who is averaging 9.4 ppg in 13 games this season, had boosted that number to 10.2 ppg over his last five as he was moved into the starting line-up.
  


• Cal's Jorge Gutierrez will be out at least two games as well. Gutierrez landing awkwardly on his right knee, a knee that he has already and surgery on, midway through the first half against Stanford. Gutierrez is averaging just 5.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg, but for a thin Cal team, Gutierrez is the best defender on the perimeter. If he is out ofr a significant time, this could be a big blow to the Bears.


• As we mentioned in today's pregame beat, Arkansas's Courtney Fortson, who was suspended prior to the season for, among other things, posting a particularly inappropriate tweet, will be in the line-up tonight against Texas. From the statement released by John Pelphrey:

  We are pleased that Courtney has done the things necessary for him to incorporate basketball fully back into his life. In the past few months, Courtney has worked hard to address personal issues and meet objectives to facilitate his return to active competition. Our primary focus with Courtney, and all of our student-athletes, is to assist them in realizing their full potential as individuals. This includes developing them athletically, academically and socially. As with all Razorback student-athletes, Courtney must continue to meet the expectations of our athletic department to remain a member of the Razorback program.

• Gonzaga redshirt freshman Andy Poling has decided to transfer. It seems to be a playing time issue. Poling is a big man, and with how well freshman Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk, and Bol Kong have played alongside sophomore Robert Sacre, there just hasn't been room for Poling to get on the court.
  


• Western Kentucky junior Sergio Kerusch broke his foot on Dec. 18th in practice and wasn't expected back until late February. But according to head coach Ken McDonald, he could be back as early as the first week of February.

  He’s progressing really well. The best case scenario would be the first week of February. The later scenario would be mid-to-late February. But his rehab is going well.