Ju Ju carried off the court with an injury | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Ju Ju carried off the court with an injury

Prayers up for juju I wouldn’t even come back to college just go to the wnba after next season
 
I wish Juju a speedy and complete recovery.

When she got injured in the previous game she brushed that off as the usual wear and tear of the season. I hope, for her sake, she learns to pace herself and allows for a complete recovery. She deserves to be playing at a high level for many years!
 
JuJu injured her left ankle 2 days ago. That ankle looked fine yesterday but it makes me wonder if there is a correlation. What a horrible injury, but I’m sure she comes back strong. She is a great player and I enjoy watching her play, so smooth.
 
I had just changed the channel when the injury took place. But had ESPN on on my phone so the news quickly came. Once again it saddens me that a player gets hurt during a game. Not just a player but a generational player. Even though this is something that makes my body cringe when a player has to be helped off of the floor. She is an awesome athlete and will be missed. But like others she will be back. Hopefully stronger and better than ever. Prayers to her and family.

However, as we UConn fans know quite well is that injuries can happen at any time. I have been a watcher, a fan, a season ticket holder, a media member and a supporter for countless years. UConn has had their share of injuries that took place prior to the season starting, during the season as well as during the tournament. Let me ask , but what would the number of championships be if not for those injuries?

Just a few names that I can recall quickly:

Nykesha Sales; Svetlana Abrosimova; Shea Ralph; Sue Bird; Nicole Wolff; Mel Thomas; Caroline Doty; Katie Lou Samuelson; Paige Bueckers; Dorka Juhasz, Aubrey Griffen and Azzi Fudd.
 
That's heartbreaking for JuJu and USC. It reminded me of when Shea tore her ACL in the 1997 tournament, not in the way it happened, but when.

USC is still a formidable team as evidenced by how they won that game without JuJu.
 
As much as us Huskies want to get the ring this year, are any of us, even secretly, thinking with JuJu gone the task is easier? NO, I don't think a one of us wouldn't wish her back on the court if we could. I'm just so disappointed that we won't see her and Paige going at it.
 
I know Mississippi State isn't very good but USC looks phenomenal tonight. Even if Juju's out next weekend, they're going to be a handful for UCONN (assuming both teams advance) with more offense running through Iriafen and inserting a lethal 3pt shooter in Howell into the lineup.
From an on-court perspective it certainly eases the path for UConn, but USC will be playing for Juju now and sometimes that extra inspiration goes a long way (I’m thinking of Louisville after the Kevin Ware injury).
 
Her knee buckled. It’s clear from the replays. Had nothing to do with the defenders. It looks pretty bad. I’m afraid Juju’s season is over.
She was pretty far outside, sandwiched between two players, so it was time to make a move or get run off the court. So my guess is she planted the foot and the knee didn't like it. Maybe hyper extended. Always been my suspicion that a pretty fair number of these are creeping injuries.
 
The way she was hit hard with the defender's body while driving for a fast break layup is way too common in wbb. It's being coached imo and needs to stop. Getting hit that hard while running that fast is different in basketball than football, because in basketball the player is more vulnerable because they are dribbling the ball instead of cradling it, and the dribller has to compensate their balance to keep control of the ball. Thus, the added force to her right leg in this case, which collapsed. If wbb is serious, they need to make these high speed collisions flagrant fouls at a minimum.

 
This was bad timing for JuJu and it takes some of the shine off of what will be a crazy competitive upcoming weekend in women’s basketball.

UConn has its hands full with trying to get past the Oklahoma rebounding machine. If they survive that, they will face a USC team that will be fighting like crazy to get to a Final Four for their fallen star. Hopefully Geno has them solely focused on one play at a time, one game at a time.
 
The way she was hit hard with the defender's body while driving for a fast break layup is way too common in wbb.
I didn't see any hard contact in the replays. What you see, especially from the long view down the court is that the defender runs parallel to keep Juju from getting to the rim. She doesn't bump her, but she also doesn't make way for her. It was an ordinary blocking foul, if it was a foul at all.

This was not the defender's fault, as far as I can see, though looking to blame anyone in these things may not make much sense. Juju pushed the pace, which is what she does. It's part of what makes her a great player, and it usually results in her getting to the rim and getting an and-one opportunity. In a half court set, this doesn't typically result in injury because no one's moving that fast. But on a run out, if the defenders do their job and defend the play, the risks are a lot greater.
 
From an on-court perspective it certainly eases the path for UConn, but USC will be playing for Juju now and sometimes that extra inspiration goes a long way (I’m thinking of Louisville after the Kevin Ware injury).
Definitely eases the path for UCONN, I don’t think USC is an easy out though if Iriafen plays close to how well she did last night and if Howell/Smith can knock down shots and pick up some slack. The biggest loss though is Juju’s defense IMO. She’s an elite defender and USC will have a hard time matching up defensively with UCONN’s shooters.

Realistically though this completely zaps USC’s title chances. If they play well they could beat Kansas State and maybe upset UCONN if everything aligns, but I don’t think they can win 3 consecutive games going up against the likes of UCONN/UCLA/South Carolina.
 
Devastating, same as the Paige and Azzi injuries. Just horrible. I hope she has a full recovery and gers more opportunities to play for a championship. I hate to see young athletes injured or anyone else for that matter.
And El-Alfy and Patterson and Brady and Griffin... the list is very, very long. The UConn women's basketball program has been ravaged by injuries for last 3 years
 
She was pretty far outside, sandwiched between two players, so it was time to make a move or get run off the court. So my guess is she planted the foot and the knee didn't like it. Maybe hyper extended. Always been my suspicion that a pretty fair number of these are creeping injuries.
To further your assertation, Juju had recently had a couple of ankle sprains that she played thru. I wonder if that was the same leg.
 
The 1 minute area of the post below has an extraordinary overhead view of the critical second of JuJu's injury. Gives me a totally different impression. Lots of contact with the inside player. Seems to take her left leg out from under her, putting everything on the right.

 
So sad for Juju and her teammates. I watched the replay several times. The Mississippi players didn't do anything wrong. Chasing her down the court, reaching in to get the ball, and just a horrible bad luck accident. I know the USC fans were furious at the Mississippi player(s) they felt were responsible, and there were hard feelings expressed after the game in the hand shake line.

I hope the fans can get over it and not blame MSU... Said Gottlieb (after the game): "You can't tell me that the energy of the crowd and how angry they were with the other team and how much they were for our team [isn't] so much about what JuJu has given to this arena, to this program, to this city."

As USC built its large lead, the game took on a different tone, with a few moments Trojans players described as "chippy." It all culminated in a postgame handshake line in which players from both teams had to be separated.

I get the sadness and frustration and human tendency to want to blame, but she needs to lead the way, IMHO, in not blaming the other team.

I have no doubt Paige AND Azzi will reach out - both of them sadly have a lot of experience dealing with season ending injuries, and coming back from them. Best wishes to Juju for a successful surgery and rehab, and hope she comes back better than ever...
 
The 1 minute area of the post below has an extraordinary overhead view of the critical second of JuJu's injury. Gives me a totally different impression. Lots of contact with the inside player. Seems to take her left leg out from under her, putting everything on the right.


I've taken a look at it a few times and I disagree rocky. This was as close as I could get to freezing it at the moment of contact. The defenders are in legal guarding positions.
IMG_6391.jpeg

Her knee buckled. It’s clear from the replays. Had nothing to do with the defenders. It looks pretty bad. I’m afraid Juju’s season is over.
That's the way I saw it too, to the point that if Juju's D doesn't buckle, I could see it being a no call.

I don't want to put him on the spot, but I am curious to get the Mississippi State worldview on all of this, including fan reactions from that point forward. @MSSportsGuy Do you feel like weighing in?
 

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