Redhawks' Rembert undergoes second surgery on knee

~ Lastseason's leading rebounder was slow to recover from the initial surgery after he injured his knee in February.

Southeast Missouri State senior center Michael Rembert had surgery Friday on his right knee, but Redhawks coach Scott Edgar is optimistic that Rembert will be ready for the start of practice in less than two months.

For Rembert, the surgery was the second procedure on the knee, which he injured in a game last February.

The Redhawks lost five of the next six games to finish 11-20, as Rembert played only the final 2 minutes of the season-ending loss at Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

Rembert, a 6-foot-9, 255-pound transfer from Bradley, averaged 9.9 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds per game. He led the team in rebounding in nine games and led it in scoring in seven.

He had surgery on the knee injury in late March, Edgar said.

"From the original one at the end of March to now, maybe it just wasn't responding as quick as you would want it to," Edgar said.

He said after a recent MRI, the decision was made for surgery. The procedure was performed at Southeast Missouri Hospital, Edgar said.

"They had to do some more work on the meniscus and cartilage," Edgar said. "He'll obviously be out for at least a while, but we're optimistic that he'll be able to practice when it starts on Oct. 13."

Rembert suffered what was reported as a ligament strain in a win at home Feb. 8 against Morehead State.