Western Kentucky men’s basketball coach Hank Plona confirmed Wednesday that senior forward Babacar Faye will not need surgery on his injured knee.

Faye, who left the Hilltoppers’ Dec. 14 home win against Murray State with the injury, has not played since – a span of seven games.

The 6-foot-8 native of Saly, Senegal, was in the midst of a breakout season for the Hilltoppers in his second year with the program. At the time of his injury, Faye was second on the team in scoring (15.2 points per game) and leading the Tops in rebounding (7.8 rebounds per game).

Plona said the follow-up MRI on Faye’s right knee confirmed a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament (MCL).

“Baba’s not going to need surgery on his knee,” Plona said. “After four weeks, we were going to try to evaluate it. If he’s healing or if he’s healing stable or if Baba were in a similar boat to where we were four weeks ago. There has been progress for sure. Multiple doctors that we trust and work with looked at it.

“It’s healing in the correct direction. If this was a summer thing, you let that heal and you’re very patient with it. Obviously mid-season there’s a little pressure and a time line for that. We’re just making sure his knee’s stable, making sure the ligaments are stable. We don’t want him to ever play in a situation where he could re-injure himself or the likelihood for injury is greater.”

Plona said Faye is doubtful to play in Saturday’s road game at Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. But with the positive follow-up, Faye can start ramping up his rehabilitation and starting working back into playing condition to possibly play again this season.

“He’s moving back in the right direction,” Plona said. “Now what that looks like timeline I guess we can pick up the recovery process and I guess a plan to get back to practice and play. Obviously this time of year it’s going to be tricky because if it takes four more weeks, then probably we need to decide what his status is. If it’s one more week, we’re probably good to go. I think the rehab has picked up. Obviously he’s doubtful for this weekend. He needs to practice in my opinion – I guess my opinion’s the one that matters – he needs to practice consistently and just improve his health.

“We’re not about to just throw him out there after not practicing full (or) in any kind of game. So I think we’ll pick the pace up, he he’s getting more active – he certainly wants to come back. He’s a huge part of us.”

Plona said Faye’s potential to return to the Tops – already short-handed in the front-court before his injury – depends on how he continues to progress. There is still a chance Faye could apply for a medical redshirt if progress remains slow or he suffers a setback with the knee.

“He’s been an important part of our team, but obviously his scoring, rebounding and defense is a major way that he can help us,” Plona said. “So I think he’d like to play and we’d like to have him back. We’ll start that process. If it’s a couple days to a week, we’re probably looking at something good. If lingers into February, then we probably have a decision to make.”