Braxton Key missed #6 UVA’s 46-26 win over Maine on Wednesday after having surgery on his left wrist.
Key, a 6’8” senior averaging 10.3 points and a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game this season, was injured late in UVA’s 48-45 win over Arizona State on Sunday when he took a hard fall after drawing contact on a drive to the basket.
Officially, Key is considered out indefinitely, but there were indications postgame that he could be back as early as next week for the road game at Purdue (3-2, with losses to Texas and Marquette) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Virginia (7-0, 1-0 ACC) also has a home game with #4 North Carolina (5-0, 1-0 ACC) on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Big week next week, obviously.
We’re being told that Key is set for a re-evaluation on Monday, and obviously depending on how that goes, he could be cleared for the Elite Eight rematch on Wednesday.
That’s all unofficial, though we feel pretty good passing the word on, based on who it was that gave us the word after the game.
Back to the official word, and quotes from UVA coach Tony Bennett.
“His timetable is, when he’s coming back, we’re not sure, so that’s where that is,” Bennett said. “And, you know, obviously that’s a tough blow because he brings some heart and effort on the glass and energy defensively and just his experience.”
And now, some quotes from junior center Jay Huff.
“We heard about it pretty soon after we got back. I mean he went to the doctor pretty immediately after we got back from the tournament. Heard about it either the same day or the next day,” Huff said.
“It changes some things, but he’ll be back soon. And we have one of the best medical staffs in the country, I would assume. And so, Ethan (Saliba, UVA’s head athletics trainer) will work his magic, and he’ll be back in no time,” Huff said.
Story by Chris Graham
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