PEORIA, Ill. -- Second-year Bradley center Sam Singh (Ozark, Mo./Ozark H.S.) has once again seen his season come to an early end due to an injury.  A year after shoulder surgery ended his freshman season after just five games, Singh injured his right knee during practice Monday and an MRI exam Tuesday confirmed he had sustained a season-ending tear in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The 6-foot-9 reserve center had played in seven of Bradley's first eight games, helping the Braves to a 6-2 record in the absence of sophomore center Patrick O'Bryant by averaging 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.  Singh scored a career-best nine points by draining 9-of-10 free throw attempts Dec. 3 versus Bowling Green and had averaged 10.6 minutes as the team's top backup center in the previous five games.

Singh received a medical hardship waiver for the 2004-05 season after a shoulder injury limited him to five appearances in the first eight games.  He averaged 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in those five games before undergoing surgery to stabilize his left shoulder.  Having already received one medical redshirt, the 2005-06 season now will count as his freshman campaign.  He could potentially appeal for a sixth year of eligibility following his senior season in 2008-09.

Singh's injury once again leaves the Braves down a center as Bradley prepares for its Missouri Valley Conference opener tonight versus league preseason favorite Northern Iowa (10-1, 0-0).  Sophomore center Patrick O'Bryant was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the season's first eight games due to an inadvertant violation of the “extra benefit” rule pertaining to his summer employment.  O'Bryant, who was a member of the Valley's All-Freshmen and All-Newcomer teams last year after leading the league in blocked shots (2.8 bpg) and ranking fourth in rebounding (7.4 rpg), will make his 2005-06 debut tonight versus the Panthers.