Jordan Pope has become one of the top contributors for the Texas Longhorns during an NCAA Tournament run that ended Thursday with a 74-68 loss to the No. 2 seed Purdue Boilermakers in the Sweet 16. The 6-foot-1 senior guard from Oakley, California, averaged 11.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, helping the Sean Miller-coached Longhorns come just two points short of reaching the Elite Eight.
The four games Pope played in the NCAA Tournament were memorable for the Oregon State transfer, especially because he showed courage in competing in the Sweet 16 despite a broken foot.
Jordan Pope Reveals He Played Through Broken Foot in Sweet 16 vs. Purdue
Pope sat with the media during a postgame press conference on Thursday night and revealed that he broke his foot completely with five minutes remaining in the Longhorns’ 74-68 win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“It was definitely up in the air. I think I can clear the air now. Five minutes left against Gonzaga, I broke my foot, a complete break, so it was definitely tough,” the Longhorns guard said.
The full quote from Pope.
Pretty remarkable. https://t.co/BSX7hZyMzS pic.twitter.com/YuxeLV7AFV
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“A lot of guys would have went out there and played, but credit to my training staff. They did a lot of work the last, whatever, four days, 24/7, giving me treatment. Just giving me a chance really to be questionable for the game. So just credit to those guys that got me ready. Thankfully I was able to go out there and play,” he added.
Pope courageously stood out in the Sweet 16 game against Purdue. He played 33 minutes despite having a broken foot and finished with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting. He attempted all but one shot from beyond the arc and also grabbed two rebounds with one assist.
The Texas guard mentioned that playing in front of his friends and family in San Jose, California, was also a memorable experience. He added that, despite the outcome, the team played hard and to the best of its abilities.
“This is something I’ll remember regardless of the outcome, given Sweet 16, the way we played, family and friends in the crowd,” Pope said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better, and I’m just proud of myself, proud of my teammates for having my back.”
Pope had a rough start to his NCAA Tournament, recording five points, one rebound, two assists, and one steal in the Longhorns’ First Four win over the NC State Wolfpack. He improved with 11 points, two rebounds, and two assists in a 79-71 upset of the No. 6 seed BYU Cougars in the first round.
The guard continued his strong performance in the Longhorns’ 74-68 upset over the No. 3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs, finishing with 17 points, one rebound, and three assists in 32 minutes. The loss to Purdue may have been Pope’s final college basketball game, as he is set to undergo surgery to repair his broken foot. However, the memory of his resilience despite the injury stands as a brave act for the senior standout.
