For the third straight season, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga head basketball coach John Shulman will go into the team’s brief Christmas break with a lot on his mind.
But, unlike the past two seasons when academic ineligibility and suspension caused problems, the change this year is that those thoughts are more worrisome as opposed to frustrating.
Casey Jones will have an MRI on Wednesday — the day the team returns from the holidays — to determine the status of his knee after an injury 11 seconds into the second half of the Mocs’ 108-78 victory over Reinhardt. The 6-foot-5 freshman forward had started all 11 games and was third on the team in rebounding and assists, and second in blocks.
“We’re a very close team. The guys really like and care for each other,” Shulman said. “To see one go down takes a little steam out of a bunch of young guys. I’m just going to have to enjoy Christmas and try to enjoy life for a moment.
“I’m concerned about Casey — I’m concerned about the news we’re going to get. He’s going to have to rehab and home and ice, but right now I don’t feel gooda bout that. It would sting a little, but we’re going to have to hope for a Christmas miracle.”