LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas junior center Udoka Azubuike will miss the rest of the 2018-19 season due to surgery required to repair ligament damage in his right hand.

“Udoka had an MRI done this morning and the MRI revealed he tore the same ligament in his right hand that he tore in his left hand his freshman season (Dec. 2016),” said Kansas head coach Bill Self. “This occurred in practice on Friday (Jan. 4) and although the initial x-rays did not reveal the extent of the injury, the MRI did and it will require season-ending surgery. The surgery date will be set early this week. The doctors expect a complete recovery and Udoka will be able to assume full basketball activities at some point this summer.”

Azubuike saw action in nine games this season, averaging 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He was a named as a candidate for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award prior to the start of the season and was also on the preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention list.