Play Kia -or- Rest That Ankle?

[BigBird]

UConn doesn't need Kia in order to beat Albany, let's face it. With our favorite Canadian coming off injury, would you sit her for 4 quarters against Albany? Play maybe a couple of minutes? Let's not bother with telling Geno what HE ought to do, as that's absurd, but instead what would YOU do? Any guesses what Geno will decide?

My guess: She plays a usual game/minutes

My preference: She sits the entire game or gets 2-4 minutes

 

[DefenseBB]

Look she's already practicing so how much rest is a game going to give her? I get it, get her some early reps, then let Crystal Dangerfield and Soniya run it to get the offense working for the Tourney

 

[BigBird]

Yes, it would seem that she is cleared and anxious to get back at it. But a re-injury at this point would be a disaster. She's tough. But some of those small bones and tendons (etc.) in the ankle are not so tough. As always, in Geno we trust.

 

[UcMiami]

Play her. Basketball isn't something you take two weeks away from and then perform as if you had been playing two or three times a week instead. She may only play 20 minutes but she needs to play. I would rather take the small chance he reinjures herself getting into rhythm, than get to a game we need her and have her mired in rust.
KLS went down last year in the semi-final, do we put her in cotton wool so she doesn't do that in a game we are going to win anyway?

I know SC and Coates had bad luck - but I am not of the school, well she obviously shouldn't have played. Their trainers and doctors said she was good to go, and then she did something similar to what Lou did last year, and her season was over.

 

[oldude]

Kia was asked about her ankle in the press conference today and she indicated she's ready to go. I would also point out that in the most recent HBO episode, Kia was moving much better in practice than in the AAC tournament a few days earlier.

I think she's just about all the way back and that spells trouble for any team the Huskies face in the tournament.

 

[bags27]

Geno was asked (when? maybe HBO second episode?) about the ankle and he essentially said it will take a long time to fully heal, and that she's just going to play on it. I guess she could take off another week and it wouldn't matter much, one way or another for the ankle, and only make her generally rustier. Just have to live with the uncertainty.

 

[Huskee11]

One thing I noticed at the open practice in November was that Kia always came in first in the sprint-type suicide drills.

There was a clip in the HBO show this week where they were running those drills and it looked like she was out front, as usual.

She wants to play (of course) and we are better off if she plays, both for her own game and the team game. Geno acknowledged she probably won`t be 100% until after the season.

But, the South Carolina game was over a month ago and if they thought there was undue risk, they would have held her out of the AAC Tournament (which was two weeks ago). There, she played 15, 21 and 22 minutes.

The coaches and trainers all know way more than we do and I trust they will handle it appropriately. There is always risk, but I don`t think for a minute they would put her at undue risk. My guess is they limit her minutes this weekend, maybe 25 per game, but we will see.

If Kia is stir crazy, she is not alone. Let`s get this thing started!!!!!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Play her. Basketball isn't something you take two weeks away from and then perform as if you had been playing two or three times a week instead. She may only play 20 minutes but she needs to play. I would rather take the small chance he reinjures herself getting into rhythm, than get to a game we need her and have her mired in rust.
KLS went down last year in the semi-final, do we put her in cotton wool so she doesn't do that in a game we are going to win anyway?

I know SC and Coates had bad luck - but I am not of the school, well she obviously shouldn't have played. Their trainers and doctors said she was good to go, and then she did something similar to what Lou did last year, and her season was over.

UcMiami- - - the Coates/SoCar incident was different in the sense that Coates just hurt her ankle in the previous game, if I'm not mistaken.
Playing her so soon wasn't smart!
Kia sat out 4 games then came back under limited minutes then two weeks off before NCAA's start!
So she's been rested and monitored!
Geno and staff has proven as great monitors of their players safety!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

UcMiami- - - the Coates/SoCar incident was different in the sense that Coates just hurt her ankle in the previous game, if I'm not mistaken.
Playing her so soon wasn't smart!
Kia sat out 4 games then came back under limited minutes then two weeks off before NCAA's start!
So she's been rested and monitored!
Geno and staff has proven as great monitors of their players safety!

Dawn was trying to protect her seeding and it bite her bad.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I agree with most posters. She's been playing in games, practicing on it etc. It makes no sense to hold her out unless she tweaked it recently which from everything I can see or read is not the case.

Probably needs true rest to fully heal, not happening. Play her all out its GAME ON!!

 

[UcMiami]

UcMiami- - - the Coates/SoCar incident was different in the sense that Coates just hurt her ankle in the previous game, if I'm not mistaken.
Playing her so soon wasn't smart!
Kia sat out 4 games then came back under limited minutes then two weeks off before NCAA's start!
So she's been rested and monitored!
Geno and staff has proven as great monitors of their players safety!

Coates went down with the initial injury on 2/19 and didn't play again until the KY game on 2/26 when I guess she tweaked it again, then sat out until the next KY game on 3/4 so she sat out one game and then two games before returning and doing it again.

 

[bags27]

OTOH, Wilson hurt HER ankle, put it in a walking cast and on a scooter, many of us wondered if she might even be done for the year, but rested one game (is that right?), and hasn't looked back. Every injury is different, every body type and the weight it puts on that ankle is different.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Kia speaks:
"It's not going to heal. It's not going to heal in time for this tournament. It's not even close to healed.”

Nurse said she wears a brace on the ankle, as well as tape, and spends a great deal of time in the training room receiving treatment. She said, however, that it's not currently causing her pain."

Nurse's return makes the Huskies even better

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Kia was sure cookin' today. 5 threes I believe and being a fast break rabbit.

 

[oldude]

I think it's safe to say that any questions about Kia's ankle have been answered today.

 

[Bigboote]

Kia speaks:
"It's not going to heal. It's not going to heal in time for this tournament. It's not even close to healed.”

Nurse said she wears a brace on the ankle, as well as tape, and spends a great deal of time in the training room receiving treatment. She said, however, that it's not currently causing her pain."

Nurse's return makes the Huskies even better

Pain is a relative thing. "Not causing her pain" means something different for a hockey player than it would for me. I just about spit up my tea when Eric said that Kia called her pain level a 10 after she injured it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Pain is a relative thing. "Not causing her pain" means something different for a hockey player than it would for me. I just about spit up my tea when Eric said that Kia called her pain level a 10 after she injured it.

All those hours in the training room are spent tamping down the inflammatory response and settling those nerves. And you are right, Kia could be in a lot of pain and give you a smile and I feel fine. In game the endorphins help a lot; but I also suspect that most of the ouch is behind her as long as her ankle support and taping do their work.

 

[JustinesGuy]

Kia looked solid today.

Was surprised she was playing up 40 in 4th quarter.