UConn women’s basketball: Nika Muhl questionable against Syracuse with sprained ankle

Nika Muhl is questionable for UConn women’s basketball’s second round matchup against Syracuse after spraining her ankle in the Huskies’ NCAA Tournament opener Sunday night.

The freshman point guard rolled her right ankle on an opponent’s foot in the second quarter of UConn’s 102-59 win over High Point. Muhl needed to be helped off the court and didn’t not return. She was later shown on the bench with crutches.

This isn’t the first ankle problem for Muhl in the postseason. During the Big East Tournament, she suffered an eerily similar injury on her left ankle. Muhl needed to be helped off the court and came back to the bench on crutches but still played the in UConn’s game the next day. Acting head coach Chris Dailey doesn’t think that will be much of a factor in Muhl’s recovery from this latest injury, though.

“Every injury is different,” Dailey said. “This is not the same ankle — that was the other ankle — and I’m not a athletic trainer, so I’m not going to be able to compare the severity of one versus the other. But this one is a different, it’s a different ankle.”

Still, count Muhl out for Tuesday’s game at your own risk.

“If there’s any way Nika can be on the court, she will be on the court,” Dailey said. “I know her and that’s the way she is. There’s absolutely no question in my mind, if she’s able, she’ll be there.”

Auriemma made a similar comment after Muhl’s injury during the Big East Tournament.

“Nika is a pretty tough kid, as tough as they come,” he said. “So if I were to bet...Nika is going to give it every opportunity overnight and then she’s going to play. And if she doesn’t play it’s because it’s serious. So we’ll know a little bit later.”

Muhl has started the last 15 games this season, averaging 6.9 points, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals in 28.3 minutes per game in that span.