UConn All-American Maya Moore has no idea when she injured her right knee. Not even looking at the film of the exhibition game against Australia while training for the World University Games showed any evidence.
Moore, who has long iced both knees after practice and games, finds herself in an unfamiliar situation being forced to sit out the tournament with a sprained knee. When reached by phone Monday in Serbia, her usual bubbly personality was replaced by the disappointment and frustration of enduring an unexpected setback.
“I don’t really know how it happened,’’ Moore said. “That’s the frustrating part. It’s kind of weird because I’ve never really injured anything in knees. I guess it’s a knee sprain. I’m pretty sure it’s not (anything more than that). I think I would feel a lot worse if it was.’’
Moore underwent a battery of tests, which confirmed nothing more than a sprain at this point. She will return to UConn after the team returns home and will be re-evaluated by the team medical staff. Once she arrives in Storrs she said she expects to learn more about the exact extent of her injury.
Moore said she has not yet started any rehabilitation. Instead, she has focused on again walking normally and resting the knee. She is walking “fine’’ right now.
“From all the positives you can take from this it’s been great,’’ Moore said. “I have a lot of people who are taking good care of me. Doctors are around. We’ve got the equipment that we needed. I’ve got the facilities I needed. I’ve got staff that takes care of me. So I’m in a great position to come back from this stronger. I’m really happy with the support that I have.’’
Moore was the consensus national Player of the Year as a sophomore last season in leading UConn to its sixth national championship and its third undefeated season. She averaged team-highs of 19.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals, while also averaging 3.3 assists and 1.5 blocks in 31.0 minutes.
The Huskies won’t begin their quest to repeat until mid-November. Practice does not officially begin until Oct. 17. This provides Moore with plenty of time to regain full usage of her knee. In fact, she expects to be fully operational when individual workouts begin in a couple of months.
“Definitely,’’ Moore said. “I shouldn’t have any problems with UConn season so I’m really hopeful right now. I’m not worried about that with respect to the season.’’
The U.S. (4-0) will meet the Czech Republic (4-0) Tuesday at 9 a.m. EST in its final second round game. The medal semifinals and finals will be Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
UConn rising senior Tina Charles is averaging a team-high 13.2 points and 5.8 rebounds in 18.5 minutes. Rising sophomore Tiffany Hayes is averaging 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.5 steals in 20.3 minutes.
“They been playing great,’’ Moore said. “Tina’s been dominating inside. She’s taken a lot of confidence on the offensive end. Tiffany, as well, is just driving in the lane and finishing with her gliding through the air kind of layups that she’s so good at. Hitting big shots. Getting in the passing lanes. It’s been a lot of good things.’’
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