Rockdale's Kevin Ware suffered an arena-silencing injury during Louisville's Elite 8 matchup against Duke Sunday.

After defending a shot by Duke, Ware collapsed to the floor with his right leg severly dislocated with 6:30 left to play in the first half, and suffered what CBS announcer Tracy Wolfson reported was a broken leg.

After his teemates looked on with worry and tears in their eyes, they helped lift Ware onto a stretcher in front of the Louisville bench.

While trainers, coaches and support staff tended to Ware, CBS, broadcasting the game, showed images of players, fans and cheerleaders and Louisville coach Rick Pitino with tears on their faces. His teammates left a seat open on the bench in honor of Ware.

"I don't know that in basketball, I've ever seen one like that," CBS announcer Jim Nance said. "I know I haven't, Jim," his broadcast partner Clark Kellog said.

Television sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson said she heard a scream from Ware at the time of the injury.

The game remained stopped for nine minutes as Ware was tended to. After the injury, Kevin Ware trended on Twitter with words such as Aaron Murray's "Prayers sent out to Kevin Ware."

Lil Wayne also took to Twitter for Ware, saying "May God be with Kevin Ware and his family. Ya in my prayers bro."

Ware had three points at the time of the injury on a and-one situation, a game after having one of his strongest performances in his two-year Louisville career. Ware scored 11 points as one of three players in double figures for the Cardinals in their 77-69 win over Oregon Friday.

"He was just emerging as such a presence for this Louisville team during the Tournament," Nance said.