From LATimes.com:
USC sophomore point guard Daniel Hackett was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back Monday night and will be sidelined indefinitely, according to a statement released by the school.
Hackett will not require surgery for the condition but must complete a core-strengthening program to alleviate the back spasms that have plagued him since he bruised his right pelvis during a fall Jan. 31 against Arizona.
A timetable for Hackett's return will be determined once his spasms subside and his core strength level is evaluated.
Before he was examined by Dr. Robert G. Watkins at the Marina Spine Center in Marina del Rey on Monday night, Hackett had expressed optimism that his condition was not serious.
"I'm not worried," Hackett said. "We'll see what the X-rays say and then we'll go from there."
What a huge blow. When the news report first came out it seemed like Daniel would be out for the season, but it's encouraging to read the optimistic comments from Dr. Watkins. Thinking back to how well Daniel played in the NCAA tournament last year, having him in the line-up could be the difference between a 2nd round boot and being an Elite 8 team.
