Texas Tech's Owens in walking boot, expected to play

Texas Tech forward Tariq Owens was seen wearing a walking boot on Sunday, one day after spraining his right ankle in the Red Raiders' national semifinal win over Michigan State.

Head coach Chris Beard told ESPN's Allison Williams that he expects the big man to play in Monday's national championship clash against Virginia.

Owens was assisted off the court in the second half of Saturday's game. The senior transfer later brought the crowd to its feet when he sprinted out of the players' tunnel, but his return was short-lived. He didn't practice on Sunday.

The 23-year-old finished the game with seven points, four rebounds, and three blocks in 23 minutes. Owens is one of the premier shot-blockers in college basketball, ranking 12th in the country with 2.44 rejections per contest during the regular season.

He's averaging nine points, 6.2 boards, and 2.6 blocks per contest across five NCAA Tournament appearances.