The day before the official start of the college basketball season, and Dana Altman’s program took yet another blow, as Michael Chandler, the team’s projected starting center, was sidelined with a knee injury.
Altman informed reporters of the injury on Thursday morning.
“Michael has been out. He’s been nursing a knee,” Altman said, according to Matt Prehm of DucksTerritory.com. “So we haven’t seen much of Michael.”
According to Prehm, Chandler will be cleared to play in about a week or two and is not expected to miss the start of the season.
The 6-foot-10 Chandler was a former top-100 recruit in the Class of 2011 -- who had previously made pledges to Louisville, Central Florida and Xavier -- came to Eugene by way of Northwest Florida State after verbally committing to the Ducks in October of 2013.
Oregon is in no position to be dealing with injury troubles, especially on the interior with Elgin Cook as the only returning big. The Ducks currently have 10 players on the 2013-2014 roster. And since July 30, Altman has lost two players in his incoming class. Forward Ray Kasongo was not admitted by the university back in the summer. Five-star guard JaQuan Lyle has also not enrolled.
Oregon begins the season on Nov. 14 at home against Coppin State.