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PROVO — There have been few moments during his senior year when Skyler Halford has played completely comfortable with BYU basketball.
He wasn’t going to let a little discomfort in his leg keep him away from the team during the NCAA tournament.
Halford will return to the Cougars’ lineup for their First Four game against Ole Miss on Tuesday to kick off the NCAA tournament.
The senior from Orem was diagnosed with a nerve contusion in his left leg during BYU’s loss to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference tournament final last week. But after regaining feeling in his toes, and thanks to several days off to recover, the Salt Lake Community College transfer expects to be ready to go when BYU (26-9) tips against the Rebels at 7:10 p.m. MDT on TruTV.
“I got hit, and then I had no feeling in my leg from my knee down. I couldn’t flex my foot or anything. It was scary,” Halford said while meeting with reporters Sunday night. “It hurt at the time, but as the night went on, it was just sore and I could feel more foot again.”
Halford said he practiced a day after BYU returned to Provo, and he’s been ready to go for a run at the NCAA tournament ever since. The Timpanogos High alum could hardly handle the thought of missing the tourney after the Cougars fought back from a potential NIT berth in the middle of the season.
“The thought of having to play in any other tournament besides the NCAA tournament, it’s a sad thought,” he said. “You don’t want to go out that way. I’m really grateful for the opportunity we have; we’re in, we’re happy where we’re at, and I’m just excited to play.”
Halford isn’t the only senior grateful to end his career in the NCAA tournament. Tyler Haws, the program’s all-time leading scorer, was on edge Sunday as team-after-team came off the board, and there was still no spot left for the Cougars.
“It was terrible. The tension was pretty high in that room,” Haws said. “We were confident going into (Sunday), but then when you see all these other teams getting their name called before you — it can be nerve-wracking. But we’re just really happy that our name got called and we’re excited to play.”
Haws also agreed with his classmate that the WCC’s early postseason tournament benefited the Cougars in giving them nearly a week off before Selection Sunday.
“We’ve had some time to regroup mentally and physically, and I think we’ve just got to understand what has gotten us to this point,” Haws said. “We’ll continue to do those things, continue to play with an edge and play together.”
That’s not to say that a BYU team that has struggled with injuries all season will be at full strength. Senior forward Nate Austin and others are still out with various injuries, and Las Vegas native Anson Winder is questionable as he tries to come back from a knee injury.
Rose said Winder will likely need surgery to repair one or both meniscuses in his knee — the greater question is when the senior from Las Vegas needs the operation.
“If he can play, I know he will,” Rose said of Winder. “But the MRI left it to where it’s kind of up in the air; he’s probably going to have to have surgery at the end of the season.”
But the head coach who has led BYU to eight NCAA tournament appearances in 10 years at the helm is happy for one more run with his guys — both those that will be on the court and those who helped them get to this point.
“It’s a great life lesson that you should never give up,” said Rose, whose team went from 5-4 midway through WCC play to a tourney berth. “You never give up on yourself, on the opportunity that is next for you.
“They chose as a group to come together and decided to finish this thing as strong as we possibly can.”
