"Ready or not, Walker D. Russell Jr. is in for more playing time.

With fellow rookie Brandon Knight out with a broken nose, the Jacksonville State and Rochester native is one of only two healthy guards on the roster, the other being Rodney Stuckey.

Russell Jr. had been playing 17.8 minutes per game, but that number is bound to increase drastically if Knight is out for any significant time.

Russell Jr., started the second half, and his three-point play tied the game at 44.

He scored the last two points of the third quarter, and came up with a steal and lay-up with 3:47 left in the fourth with the game in the balance. He also missed two key free throws."