PHILADELPHIA - The UConn Huskies are gearing up for their first-round NCAA Tournament clash against Furman, but they'll have to do it without one of their key players. Silas Demary Jr., a standout who earned first team all-Big East honors, will be sidelined for Friday night's game.
Adding to UConn's challenges, backup wing Jaylin Stewart remains out. Stewart has been absent for the past six games due to a knee injury he sustained during a victory over Villanova on February 21.
Demary's ankle injury occurred during the Big East Tournament title game against St. John's, a tough 72-52 loss for the Huskies at Madison Square Garden.
The injury happened after a blocked transition layup by Zuby Ejiofor. Demary made a brief return to the court but soon exited again, clearly in discomfort.
Despite Demary expressing optimism about playing against Furman, head coach Dan Hurley was less certain. Both Demary and Stewart were marked as "questionable" in the injury report released Thursday evening.
Stewart, speaking with reporters, expressed doubt about his availability for Friday but hinted at a possible return if UConn advances to Sunday’s game. As the Huskies prepare for Furman, they’ll need to adjust their strategy to compensate for these significant absences.