WSU's Duggins remaining stong through back injury

Duggins in 12 Horizon League games

Category Average (conf. rank)

Points 16.8 (2)

Rebounds 3.4

Assists 2.5

FT percentage 85.7 (T-3)

Assist/Turnover ratio 1.9 (T-4)

Minutes 34.1 (6)

FAIRBORN — Vaughn Duggins sat in a leather chair inside Wright State’s Setzer Pavilion/Mills Morgan Center, looking up and down his 6-foot-3 frame and searching his mental medical records.

His teammates were lifting weights in another room, but he was held out. The room in which he sat provided a view of the Raiders’ practice court through a giant window, but he hasn’t practiced as much lately.

Injuries? He’s had a few.

“Countless rolling ankle sprains,” the Wright State fifth-year guard said, still in his practice uniform from the drills he was able to sneak in that day. “Broken left foot, a pin in there. Broken finger. Knee surgery, a meniscus tear sophomore year of high school.

“Now, obviously, the back.”

The most unusual and untimely injury of Duggins’ distinguished WSU career — the stress fracture in his back — occurred in November, while the Raiders participated in the Chicago Invitational Challenge. During a fight for a rebound, Duggins had the ball pulled from his hands and fell to the ground. He felt “funny,” including a muscle spasm in his back.

It would be more than a month before the Raiders knew exactly what bothered their leading scorer and rebounder, and the injury has hovered over his final season. Duggins has responded to decreased practice time and a series of back braces to average 16.2 points and 3.8 rebounds for the 15-9 Raiders, who stand third in the Horizon League at 8-4.

He still has good days and uncomfortable days — 26 points that tied his career high against Wisconsin-Milwaukee last Sunday were followed by 11 against Loyola on Thursday. But WSU coach Billy Donlon has credited the do-it-all guard who ranks seventh on the school’s career scoring list (1,572) and third in games played (121) with tolerating the pain that won’t go away.

“I’ve known Vaughn since he was a junior in high school,” Donlon said. “This is probably the least athletic he’s been since I’ve been watching him. And he’s still playing terrific.”

Pars defect

There are the obvious bones on the spine that can be felt by running a hand down the back. Sticking out on both sides of those bones are others calls “pars.”

One of those in Duggins’ lower back suffered a stress fracture — a “pars defect” — during the play in Hoffman Estates, Ill., an injury that had been building over time. It’s a common injury in sports that often require extension — gymnastics and diving, in particular.

“I bet if you ask 10 high-level gymnasts, five have had this,” said WSU athletic trainer Jason Franklin.

The injury causes a “pain, spasm, pain” cycle, Franklin said, and the uncomfortable spasms plagued Duggins for more than a month. Then, in December, an X-ray revealed the break. Identifying the injury, the Raiders’ staff could treat it more effectively.

It was just a matter of how much pain Duggins could tolerate. On Jan. 1, against Wisconsin-Green Bay just days after learning the official diagnosis, Duggins sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer that completed a career-high 26 points to help WSU win 67-64. He has ranged in scoring from 10 to 26 points since, feeling differing levels of pain.

“This injury needs time to heal,” Donlon said, “but we don’t have that.”

Being honest

A traditionally tough-minded athlete, Duggins has learned to be transparent about his pain with Franklin and the WSU staff.

Like on Dec. 14 when the Raiders traveled to face Central Michigan.

“I told coach I couldn’t move,” Duggins said. “So, mentally, I had to regroup. I went to the sidelines, I laid down, I did stretching with Jason. Just had to get some peace of mind.”

Duggins returned to score 13 points, force a bad shot with 8 seconds left on defense in a close game, scramble for the loose ball and hit two key free throws in a 53-49 win. He produced his only two single-digit scoring games back-to-back on Dec. 22 and Dec. 30, then exploded for 26 against Green Bay the next time out.

“It plays mental games with me,” Duggins said.

He combined to score 45 points in two games last weekend to earn his first career Horizon League player of the year honor. Donlon said he should be in serious consideration for league player of the year honors, especially because of what he has overcome.

“Everybody plays through some sort of pain,” Duggins said. “It’s just the outlook of how you go into the games.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.