Pitt's Woodall out a month with groin, abdominal injuries
Saturday, December 03, 2011
By Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Junior point guard Tray Woodall, Pitt's second-leading scorer and leader in assists, will miss the next month with a groin strain and a torn abdominal muscle.

Woodall was injured with 1:04 remaining in the game Wednesday against Duquesne. The injury will keep Woodall out of the lineup for the final six non-conference games and likely the Dec. 27 Big East opener at Notre Dame.

Pitt plays at Tennessee this afternoon.

Woodall had arguably been Pitt's best player through the first seven games. He was averaging 14.1 points, 8.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game. He had recorded four double-doubles and reached double figures in scoring five times.

Head coach Jamie Dixon has a variety of options to replace Woodall. He could move Ashton Gibbs to the point and insert redshirt freshman Cameron Wright, sophomore J.J. Moore or sophomore Lamar Patterson at shooting guard. Or, he could start John Johnson at the point and keep Gibbs at shooting guard.

Dixon was effusive in his praise of Johnson after he went 3 for 3 from 3-point range and scored nine points in the victory against Duquesne.

"John Johnson was terrific," Dixon said. "He just keeps getting better and better. He has a real focus, a real determination that really impresses me. He's been doing a lot of learning, a lot of things he's never done before. He's going to be a very good player."

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