A required course is sometimes a necessary evil. It may be a bear to endure, but a student can't transition to the next level without it.
That pretty much describes the past year for University of Cincinnati sophomore guard Mason Madsen.
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As a freshman, Madsen suffered a season-delaying ankle injury, then Madsen and his teammates were held off of the court for nearly four weeks due to COVID-19. They then saw a triumphant end to the season be ripped to shreds by a 37-point loss to Houston in the American Athletic Conference tournament championship game.