UConn Men Hobble Into South Florida

TAMPA, Fla.?

The Huskies arrived in Florida with the boots, splints, bandages that have become familiar wardrobe accessories as the season winds down.

"We're going to go with what we've got," coach Kevin Ollie said. "I'm excited for the challenge. Whoever we have, I'm going to battle with those guys."

That will not include Niels Giffey, the Huskies' top bench player, whose broken right index finger will cost him the final two games. It might not include Shabazz Napier, their best player, who is still bothered by a sprained right foot.

But the schedule is unforgiving and the remaining Huskies will take on South Florida at the Sun Dome on Wednesday at 9 p.m.

"It's unfortunate," Giffey said. "I'm not whining about it. I'm happy it happened at this point in the season, where we've only got two games left. We have a great season behind us."

The Huskies (19-9, 9-7 Big East) are looking to end their losing streak at two games and avoid finishing what has been an over-achieving season with a disappointing slide. Banned from the postseason, the 20-win mark would give Ollie's first team as coach a measure of pride. They finish the season at Gampel Pavilion against Providence on Saturday.

"This has been a wonderful group to be around," Ollie said. "Next man up, that's what we've been preaching all year. They've taken it on. This group has been so resilient. I don't think any less of them, we're going to play hard, play aggressive, try to limit our turnovers and hopefully shoot a better percentage than we did at Cincinnati."

Last Saturday, the Huskies shot 34.6 percent yet nearly pulled off an upset at Cincinnati before losing, 61-56. Ryan Boatright scored 22 and DeAndre Daniels 18, the latter showing a break through late in the season.

"DeAndre's confidence is growing," Ollie said. "What I see is the transformation of a young man becoming a big-time player."

Giffey got hurt late in that game.

"I've looked at [video] three or four times," Giffey said, "and to be honest, I still don't know what happened. I deflected the ball ? the finger was dislocated, and kind of poking out. It was scary."

He will not need surgery, but will continue to see specialists. Giffey hopes to be ready to play this summer with the German national team.

It would not be surprising if Napier, hobbling on the foot he had surgically repaired last summer, is shut down. But UConn's medical staff is still working on the foot.

"I know he's a tough kid and he wants to play," Ollie said. "What he did last week, cheering on his teammates on the bench, if he can't get out on the court, I know he'll be there in spirit."

Omar Calhoun has been playing with a sprained right wrist, and had been productive before shooting 1-for-7 at Cincinnati. He tried playing with and without the wrapping, but neither helped. The two days off did help, Calhoun said, and the wrist was feeling better.

Ollie will be looking to the bench for contributions. Perhaps former walk-on Brendan Allen, now on scholarship, will get significant playing time. Certainly freshman Phil Nolan, who played 26 productive minutes at Cincinnati, will get a longer look. Grad-student transfer R.J. Evans started at guard in place of Napier and could do so again. Evans committed a turnover on an in-bound pass that hurt the Huskies down the stretch at Cincinnati, but otherwise provided some production.

"We know what we have with R.J.," Ollie said, "and that's a good thing. He knows his role and he plays it perfectly."

The Bulls (11-17, 2-14) gave the Huskies, then at full-strength, an overtime fight at Gampel Pavilion on Feb. 3. They won their last game, beating DePaul 83-73 at The Sun Dome on Sunday, and point guard Anthony Collins concerns Ollie.

"He just took over that game when DePaul got a two-point lead," said Ollie, who watched the game twice. "Collins is really our focus, when he gets in the lane he makes so much happen. We're going to have to contain him."

Source: http://hartfordcourant.feedsportal.com/c/34278/f/623727/s/293dfc34/l/0L0Scourant0N0Csports0Chc0Euconn0Emen0E0A30A60E20A130A30A50H0A0H21233220Bstory0Dtrack0Frss/story01.htm

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