UConn’s frontcourt took a hit Thursday night, with the program announcing that standout forward Nik Khamenia will have surgery in the coming days after injuring his left foot in Monday’s 83-41 win over Wagner.
Coach Dan Hurley said in a release that Khamenia is expected to make a full recovery and will be reevaluated in 6-8 weeks. That timetable almost certainly knocks him out for the rest of nonconference play.
Khamenia, a sophomore transfer from Duke, had been one of UConn’s early bright spots. Through three games, he was averaging 10.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 6-for-11 from 3-point range.
His best stretch came against Wagner, when he poured in 11 points in just seven minutes before the injury stopped everything cold. Khamenia came down awkwardly on his left foot and was clearly in pain. He tried to push through it, even sprinting back to challenge a corner 3, but eventually limped to the locker room with a trainer and did not return.
The injury lands at a tough moment for the Huskies, who are about to face a demanding run of games. Khamenia will miss Friday night’s matchup with Ohio State, along with games against Arizona, Duke, Illinois, Kansas and Virginia. Six weeks from Thursday would be Christmas Eve, which comes the day after UConn opens Big East play against Georgetown.
With Khamenia out, the Huskies will lean harder on 18-year-old freshmen Colben Landrew and Egor Amosov. Landrew was already logging starter-level minutes off the bench, and Hurley said after Monday’s game that both young players would be asked to do more.
“People like (Landrew) and Egor are going to now be thrust into bigger roles,” Hurley said after the game Monday, anticipating Khamenia to miss some time. “…Our margin for error (will) be thinner, but it’s not like we’ve got scrubs.”
Landrew has already shown he can handle the moment, from the exhibition games to the TD Garden stage against Michigan, where he scored 14 points off the bench and gave UConn a lift while foul trouble piled up.
“The thing about Colben that’s one of the most important attributes is you have to be comfortable when you walk into the arena and believe that you’re gonna go out there and perform at a high level,” Hurley said Sunday, prior to him struggling Monday night. “He gets electrified when the game starts.
And not every player is like that. Some players, they get nervous, they get anxiety, they get uptight, they’re not sure.
He’s sure. And it’s awesome.”
Amosov saw a bigger role after the injury Monday, playing 13 minutes and finishing with one point on 0-for-3 shooting, four rebounds, a block and a steal.
Jayden Ross, who will also need to shoulder more from the wing, said of Amosov: “I think Egor has a lot of talent overall,” said Jayden Ross, who’ll have to increase his contribution from the wing as well. “I think he’ll fit well once he’s able to really get the opportunity just to really get acclimated to the offense. We see it in practice every day, he’s a really good passer, he hits open shots, and I just think he’ll just be a great guy to have on the floor with us.”
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