Malik Williams “doubtful” to play against Virginia Tech

Louisville’s official game notes for Sunday’s game against Virginia Tech list junior center Malik Williams as “doubtful” to participate in the game. Williams suffered a left ankle injury during the first half of U of L’s Monday night loss at Florida State.

“He’s not practicing yet, so anything that we put out there is purely speculative,” Mack said of Williams during his Friday press conference.” We’ve got to get the swelling down, the pain to go down as much as we possibly can, knowing that when he comes back he won’t be 100 percent. No one usually is this time of year.”

Before the Florida State game, Williams had scored 11 or more points in five of Louisville’s last six games and had replaced Steven Enoch in the Cardinals’ starting lineup. The junior captain was spectacular in the team’s 90-66 win over Syracuse, scoring 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds despite playing just 23 minutes as the Cardinals coasted to victory.

“I am just taking it day-by-day right now and not trying to rush it,” Williams said on Wednesday. “It could be tomorrow when I am ready. I’ll know when it’s time.”

Mack said that Williams’ injury means the team will obviously lean more heavily on Enoch, but added that it could be forced to play Dwayne Sutton more minutes at the five, something which happened in Monday night’s loss in Tallhassee. Mack also said that the injury could mean some playing time for freshman reserve Quinn Slazinski.