No. 15 Kansas loses Melvin Council Jr. to broken foot ahead of Champions Classic vs No. 14 Kentucky

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — No. 15 Kansas will be without Melvin Council Jr. for the Champions Classic against Kentucky, and perhaps the remainder of the Jayhawks' nonconference schedule, after the veteran guard broke a bone in his right foot during practice on Monday.

Coach Bill Self announced the injury a little more than 24 hours before the Jayhawks face the No. 24 Wildcats in Chicago.

“Melvin broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot during Monday’s practice and will have surgery in the next couple of days,” Self said in a statement. “We expect a full recovery and we’re hopeful he will return around the start of the conference season.”

Council is among dozens of college basketball players who received injunctions to play another season after the NCAA instituted its new “five-for-five” eligibility model. The Big 12 Conference's newcomer of the year last season, Council played two seasons at a junior college before spending a season with St. Bonaventure and last season with the Jayhawks.

He averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds while helping Kansas reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. His best game may have been against N.C. State last December, when Council hit nine 3-pointers and finished with 36 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a 77-76 overtime victory that made him a sort of cult hero among Jayhawk fans .

Council had 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists in 23 minutes in a win over Fordham to open this season. He added six points and three assists in just 20 minutes in a lopsided win over Middle Tennessee last Friday.

The Jayhawks are equipped to deal without Council until Big 12 play begins in January. Five-star prospect Taylen Kinney already had been sharing point guard duties with him, and Toledo transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. was the MAC freshman of the year last season.

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