By Gavin Keefe
Publication: theday.com
R.J. Evans, a guard from Salem, will be out at least two weeks with a sternal-clavicular sprain.
The Norwich Free Academy graduate suffered the injury in the collarbone area during a box-out drill in practice Thursday.
It is a significant loss for the Huskies.
Evans, the team's most reliable reserve, has played a valuable role this season. He's appeared in all five games, averaging 5.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game. He's also provided leadership.
"Tough loss, but we have some able soldiers to come in and just continue to help us grow," coach Kevin Ollie said Saturday. "He's going to do his rehab. I'm not worried about him. Hopefully he'll be back in a couple of weeks.
"We're counting on everybody. Everybody has to step up. (R.J.) played an integral part. ... He's doing a lot of key things for us that don't show up in the stats. We're going to have to have guys step up.
"You can't be R.J. but you can be yourself and grow and evolve. There are going to be some roles that are going to be different. Hopefully guys understand that."
The Huskies also will likely be without reserve forward Leon Tolksdorf (left knee sprain) for Sunday afternoon's game against Stony Brook at 4 p.m. at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs. Tolksdorf has seen limited action, playing just 11 minutes overall.
"I don't see it as something that's going be a long time," Ollie said. "We're being cautious."
Without Evans and Tolksdorf, the Huskies will have only nine scholarship players available, counting Brendan Allen who has yet to play this season.
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