GREENVILLE, S.C. — Auburn expects to have forward Jaylin Williams back for its matchup Sunday with Miami, even if the 6-8 junior won’t exactly be smiling about the news.
Williams collided with teammate Walker Kessler during Auburn’s win over Jacksonville State on Friday, knocking out part of a tooth in the process. Williams was also evaluated for a concussion on Friday and early Saturday and passed the protocols, coach Bruce Pearl said.
“Doctors let him move around and he wasn’t bothered by it today at practice,” Pearl said. “We’ll see if there’s any residual effects and check him again tonight and [Sunday].”
After Friday’s game, Williams was given the honor of adding Auburn’s name to the winner’s line of the bracket hanging in the Tigers’ locker room, but his teammates mostly offered a ribbing about his broken tooth.
“I was the first one in the locker room,” guard Zep Jasper said. “I told him, ‘Let me see your smile, man.’ When he showed me, I started laughing and he was like, ‘I knew you were going to do that.'”
Jasper said the broken tooth was never found, but Williams had dental surgery Friday to repair the damage and practiced with the team throughout their shootaround Saturday.
“He looks pretty good, and he’s taking it well,” forward Jabari Smith said. “He can’t talk a little bit, but that’s all right.”
Williams might be a necessary cog for the Tigers, who also spent time without Kessler after the collision and felt the pressure of being thin at the position.
Pearl said center Dylan Caldwell, who filled in during Kessler and Williams’ absence, was worn out by the time Kessler returned to the court.
“I sent a manager to the locker room to tell [the team doctor] to hurry up because Dylan needed out,” Pearl said.
For the season, Williams is averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds as one of the Tigers’ top players off the bench.