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UConn will be without junior center Amida Brimah Sunday when the Huskies host UMass Lowell at the XL Center.
Brimah suffered a rather unpleasant injury against Ohio State.
Brimah's 84-game playing streak likely will be snapped today. He has an...ouch..testicular contusion, suffered against Ohio State. #UConn.
— Patrick Eaton-Robb (@peatonrobb) December 20, 2015
The injury means Kevin Ollie will have to alter the starting lineup for the first time this season. Jalen Adams and Kentan Facey are probably the two most likely players to replace Brimah, who leads the nation with a 16.4 block percentage.
UConn (6-3) is playing its first game since Dec. 12, a 20-point win over Ohio State. The win put the Huskies back in the AP Poll Top 25 entering final exams.
Coming out of finals, the Huskies' are in good shape statistically. UConn ranks 40th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 18th defensively. The Huskies' 55.1 effective field goal percentage is 34th in the nation, and they are holding opponents to a 43.2 percent rate, which ranks 15th.
As this game is not being played on ice, UMass Lowell should provide little challenge for the Huskies. The River Hawks are 4-6, ranking 300th or worse in adjusted offensive (312th) and defensive (311th) efficiency, turnover percentage (304th), steal percentage (319th) and free throw attempts to field goal attempts (316th).
Brimah's absence should have little effect, as Lowell's tallest player is 6-foot-8-inch forward Dontavious Smith, who has played 25 percent of possible minutes.