Freshman Caroline Doty underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee at the UConn Health Center in Farmington. Team doctor Tom Trojian said the surgery went fabulous.
There had been some concern that more than one ligament could have been damaged, but that was not the case. The procedure, which was performed by Dr. Robert Arciero, was the second for Doty in 16 months.
There is no definitive timetable as to when Doty will be back on the court. She’s looking at six to eight months of rehabilitation.
“I don’t worry about that,’’ UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “That’s the danger if she sets a date for herself and then pushes herself to make that date it could be counterproductive. The way I look at it is when you’re ready you’re ready. Whenever that is. I don’t see her being able to truly feel comfortable, I bet you, until at least November, December.’’
It’s been a good week for Kalana Greene. And it all started with the crowning of the AFC representative in Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. She is a long-time Steelers fan and she made life pretty miserable for Renee Montgomery, who is a Ravens fans due to her friendship with rookie RB Ray Rice.
Kalana was waving her Terrible Towel for all to see Sunday in North Carolina. Needless to say, she had plenty of fun at Renee’s expense.
“She’s got a little towel that she has,’’ Renee said today following practice. “She’s twirling it around. I’m like, `Get out of my face.’’’
Kalana then went and had a season-high 15 points, three rebounds and three assists in a season-high 33 minutes in Monday’s 88-58 victory at No. 2 North Carolina. She had played as many as 31 minutes during her homecoming game at South Carolina Dec. 29, but she had reached the 25-minute mark in only two other games this season as she continues to work her way back to full strength after undergoing three operations on her right knee.
“It’s important for me, but it’s most important for my team,’’ Kalana said. “When you’re a man down everyone has to step up. Everyone has to play more minutes, contribute more in practice, in the games. I don’t think that I can’t play 33 minutes every night. If I need to … If I have to play 40 minutes I’m going to have to play it. But I just know when you’re called upon to do a task and get things done we have to do it because there’s no one else. You can’t wait for someone else to do it this time of the year.’’
It was the most playing time Kalana had logged since seeing 37 minutes in a season-ending loss to LSU in the NCAA Fresno regional final March 26, 2007. Greene’s 56 minutes over the last two games is also a season-high.
“Kalana has a unique game that kind of complements our offense in that we’re shooting a lot of 3s, we’re putting the ball in the post a lot, hopefully a little of both,’’ Geno said. “And she brings that midrange game that is really important. And when she’s concentrating on that, that attacking the basket, that pull-up jump shot of hers it makes defenses have to prepare not to just come running out hard at the 3-pointer and not pack it in on the block. They’ve got to now defend something different. And when’s she got that going her confidence level and her energy level is what lets her play those 33 minutes. So is that going to be normal for her going forward? I don’t know. Whatever minutes she feels like she can handle that’s how many she’s going to play. But it’ll have a lot to do with where her confidence level is on any particular night.’’
Rich
