Joe out indefinitely following knee surgery

Arkansas guard Isaiah Joe (center) returns to the bench Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, during the second half of the Razorbacks' 78-67 win over Texas Christian in Bud Walton Arena. Joe was held out of the game because of an injury.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas guard Isaiah Joe underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday and is out indefinitely, Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman announced before Tuesday night’s game against No. 11 Auburn.

“As I mentioned in the press conference Monday, Isaiah did have an MRI on his knee,” Musselman said in a news release. “The results came back late Monday and it was determined Isaiah would undergo surgery Tuesday. He will not be at the Auburn game tonight so he can recover and begin rehabilitation.”

Joe, a 6-5 sophomore from Fort Smith averaging 16.0 points, injured his knee on Jan. 11 at Ole Miss when he scored 34 points to lead Arkansas to a 76-72 victory.

Musselman said previously that Joe aggravated the knee injury in the Razorbacks’ 77-70 loss at Mississippi State on Jan. 22.

Joe sat out the next game when the Razorbacks beat TCU 78-67 on Jan. 25. He then played 36 minutes off the bench and scored 16 points last Wednesday when South Carolina beat Arkansas 79-77.

Joe returned to the starting lineup at Alabama last Saturday, but went scoreless in 21 minutes and was 0 of 3 from the field — all on three-pointers — in the Razorbacks’ 82-78 victory. It was the first time in 54 games Joe has played for Arkansas that he didn’t score.

Earlier Tuesday Joe was named 1 of 10 finalists for the 2020 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced.

Joe hit 11 of 18 shots at Ole Miss, including 7 of 13 three-pointers. Since that game he is 15 of 58 from the field, including 13 of 47 from beyond the arc.