Connecticut will move "very carefully" in determining center Emeka Okafor's availability for the Big East tournament this week in the hopes of increasing his chances of playing in the NCAA Tournament.

 

 

 

 

Okafor, who's been suffering from back spasms all season, had an MRI on Monday. Results were not immediately available.

 

 

He will make the trip to New York for the Big East tournament. The coaching staff discussed keeping him out of the event, and whether he plays will not be determined until Thursday. UConn likely will be either a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament; the conference tournament should not affect its seeding.

 

 

Okafor, an ESPN.com first team All-American and leading candidate for national player of the year honors, is averaging 18.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots a game.

 

i guess it's not that big of a deal

 

if i were UConn, just sit him through the big east tourney, don't risk losing him for the NCAA's, cuz then you're screwed

Yeah UConn should sit him out. They'll just get a lower seed if they don't win their conference tourney, it's better than losing their best player.

they might go from 2 to 3, but so what

 

that just means you have to play the 14 or 15 seed

if they were to go to #4, that would be bad, becuase theyd have to play the #1 seed in the sweet 16

 

 

they wont fall that far, so they should sit okafor out to get healthy for the dance

They should definitely sit him because I don't think the seeds are going to matter much in this year's tourney. UConn can beat any team in America but they are going to need Okafor healthy. They could still do very well in the Big East tourney without him.

UConn should have sat Okafor yesterday against Syrcause. I'm not sure who watched the game, but all he did was stand in the paint and didn't try too hard for rebounds or blocked shots. This guy is going to make or break UConn's chances in the Big Dance; there is no point in wasting him up in the tourney.

The UConn women's team just loss in their Big East semi-finals.

The UConn women's team just lose in their Big East semi-finals.

to who?

Boston College. I want both the men and women as National Champs.