In two games this week, No. 1 Syracuse remained unbeaten with two thrilling victories over No. 25 Pittsburgh and N.C. State. Both of those wins came without senior center Baye Moussa Keita. Though the next time the Orange take the floor, the 6-foot-10 Keita could be back in the lineup.
Keita has been sidelined the last two games with a sprained right knee, though he might make his return on Wednesday night, at home, against Boston College, according to Donna Ditota of the Post-Standard.
“If it came down to it, I could have gone out there,” Keita told the Post-Standard on Saturday. “I ran for a little bit yesterday in practice. I felt good going up and down and getting back my breathing. And getting used to the brace: I have to wear it for the rest of the season and I have to get used to it, learn how to move with it. It’s going to be a little bit weird — that’s what the doctor told me.”
With Keita unavailable this past week, Rakeem Christmas has racked up the minutes, logging 35 minutes in each game against Pitt and N.C. State while forwards C.J. Fair and Jermai Grant continue to play the majority of each game on the Cuse frontline. Getting Keita back in the rotation will help with Syracuse’s interior depth, especially since Dajuan Coleman was lost for the season last month.
Keita is averaging 2.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 block in just under 16 minutes per game this year for the Orange.
