Purdue Engineers Asked To Make NCAA-Approved Brace For Injured Isaac Haas

Purdue is taking big steps to help ensure that one of its key basketball players competes in the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

Isaac Haas PURDUE injury brace news

The university’s sports medicine program has contacted a group of mechanical engineers on campus to see whether they can design an NCAA-approved brace that might allow injured Boilermakers center Isaac Haas to return for the Sweet 16.

Haas, a 7-foot-2, 291-pound center, fractured his right elbow in Purdue’s 76-73 first-round victory over Cal State Fullerton on Friday. Boilermakers coach Matt Painter has said he doubts Haas will be able to play in the upcoming rounds of the tournament.

Post-game X-rays for Haas revealed a break that will require surgery.

“I don’t think the key is him getting some other apparatus that gets approved by the NCAA,” Painter said of Haas. “He’s still got to be able to shoot a right-handed free throw. You gotta be able to rebound with two hands. You gotta be able to catch the ball.”

Haas, 22, said on Sunday that he believed he only needs a few days of rest to help his elbow heal completely.

Haas is the Boilermakers’ runner-up in points (14.7 per contest) and rebounds (5.7) this year.

Purdue defeated Butler in a second-round game on Sunday. The Boilermakers — a No. 2 seed in the East Region — next face No. 3 seed Texas Tech on Friday night in Boston.