NCAA News Wire
Arizona F Ashley done for season
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Arizona forward Brandon Ashley will miss the rest of the season as a result of a foot injury suffered in Saturday’s 60-58 loss to Cal, the school announced Sunday.
“Last night, early in our Cal game, Brandon Ashley suffered a foot injury that will end his season,” Arizona head coach Sean Miller said in the statement released Sunday. “While we’re all disappointed, we are also aware that Brandon needs our support and positive energy surrounding him. Someone once told me, the hottest heat forges the strongest steel. This adversity will ultimately make Brandon and our team stronger moving forward.”
The school did not provide a precise diagnosis of Ashley’s injury, but Miller had said after Saturday’s game, he thought Ashley has suffered a broken foot.
Ashley is averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He suffered the injury three minutes into Saturday’s game when he landed awkwardly after missing a shot.
He returned to the bench and was in a walking boot and on crutches in the second half. A source told ESPN.com that Ashley will not play again this season.
The Wildcats (21-1) are likely to drop from the No. 1 spot in the rankings when the polls are released on Monday.
“We have to get back to the drawing board and make sure we can move forward if Brandon is not with us,” Miller said Saturday.
Ashley will be replaced in the starting lineup by freshman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who averages 8.0 points and 5.4 rebounds.
