New Orleans F Romero to miss remainder of season

foxsports.lycos.com SportsTicker Feb. 26, 2003 1:37 p.m.

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) - New Orleans senior forward Hector Romero, the leading scorer in the Sun Belt Conference, will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee in the first half of Sunday's game against Denver.

Romero returned in the second half but was hampered by the injury. When the swelling decreases, he will undergo reconstructive surgery.

"Hector Romero has meant a greal deal to this program during the past two years and we certainly will miss him," New Orleans coach Monte Towe said. "However, the important thing now is for him to rehab and get healthy for a long, productive professional career."

Romero averaged 18.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season. Last season, he averaged 20.1 points and led the Sun Belt in rebounds at 10.8 per game.

Romero, a junior college transfer and native of Venezuela, became the 20th player in school history to score 1,0000 career points and only the sixth to do it in two seasons.