Details on Kia's stress (fracture) injury to ankle

[oldude]

Understood, but still a question in my mind why she played in Conf Playoffs as well as week(s) before she was "booted." While she and Geno likely wanted her to get more conditioning, these were not critical games. As mentioned, she is far from 100%. Hate to second guess but those weeks could have been a material investment in the Big Dance.

What UcMiami said.

 

[huskyd]

I sort of trust the professionals on these questions - the trainers and doctors working with UConn athletes (and most D1 athletes) are world class and have a lot more information than we do. They probably caught the problem really early on and shut her down quickly, and they are confident that the issue is under control. We had Stef play a full NCAA tournament with stress reactions in both feet and it turned out fine. They really do know what they are doing and are not playing silly buggers with young athletes.

I'm sure that you remember when Kia sat for the first few games how concerned everyone was by her absence. Folks were saying that Nurse was critical to the team's success, that w/out her the Huskies were unanchored. So there was some degree of urgency to get Kia back on the court, even if for just short periods. True, most games were not close, but Geno said the chemistry wasn't the same w/out her. I agree that the trainers and medical staff would not have rushed her back carelessly, but, with the tournament looming and the fear that she'd need some time to return to form, getting her on the court seemed prudent. It appears to have worked.

 

[B BLOCK]

I hope Kia's ankle continues to improve and that she can successfully contribute in the NCAA tourney. These stress "reactions" can linger and all of a sudden just blow. Many of you baseball and fellow YANKEE fans may remember Derek Jeter's going down like he was shot when his chronic ankle problem blew before he retired. That injury cost him a prime season and no doubt cost another 200 hits. Had that not happened Jeter might have played another year and finished third or better in all time hits, right up there with the racist Cobb and the Degenerate Gambler Rose.
Kia is obviously much younger that Jeter was when he had is injury and that should bode well for the rest of this season.

 

[Florida Fan]

As we've said, the luck of this is that there is an honest 3 guard rotation available now. Saniya has really stepped up and Crystal is developing. Tough luck, but worse would have been one of UConn's wings/forwards.

OTOH, Lou seems to have lost a step on defense, and her man just seems to blow right by her, so, with Crystal being short and still learning, Saniya only recently becoming a reasonable defender, and Kia perhaps limited in action and/or in full mobility, perimeter defense is definitely a concern. Since UConn has all year worried about its height disadvantage and short bench in underneath players, who now may have to work even harder and risk fouling even more if the perimeter is more easily penetrated, makes everything even more fragile. We live in interesting times!

Bags, spot on. We have seen Gabby's enthusiasm get her in foul trouble. Trying to compensate for a missing Lou or Pheesa could pressure Gabby to perform even more preternatural feats. OTOH, as the single-elimination stakes rise, Geno will be in her ear to back off.