UW women lose another player

Published 9:00 pm Monday, February 9, 2004

SEATTLE – The starting forward on University of Washington women’s basketball team has fallen victim to an injury curse that has dogged the squad for 13 months.

Freshman Breanne Watson will be out for about four weeks, perhaps the rest of the season, because of a dislocated right shoulder she suffered in the Huskies’ 72-70 victory Saturday against USC.

“They’re giving it a couple of days for the swelling to go down,” UW coach June Daugherty said, “but that’s the range they’re giving us right now.”

Watson was hurt with 10:19 left in the game while diving after a loose ball among a crowd of players. Play was stopped momentarily while medical personnel attended to Watson.

Following the game, Daugherty said the shoulder popped out of joint, but that team doctors were able to put it back into place. Watson, Daugherty said, was in considerable pain.

Watson’s injury is the latest in a bizarre series of same for the Huskies in the last 13 months. Injury has taken all but two inside players, senior starting center Andrea Lalum and freshman backup Maggie O’Hara, which will necessitate some shuffling in the lineup.

“We’re just going to have to rotate the posts a little bit more and also get some help from some of our bigger guards,” Daugherty said.

That would mean starting guard Cameo Hicks and reserve Cheri Craddock, both freshman, probably will see action at forward.

Junior Sarah Keeler had to quit the game late last season because of recurring knee injuries. Sophomore Kirsten Brockman, a Snohomish High School grad, had to do the same because of stress fractures in both feet.

In addition, guard Kayla Burt was forced to give up the sport because of a heart condition 13 months ago. Also, guard Kristin O’Neill had to miss the entire 2003-04 season because of a stress fracture and sophomore guard Erica Shelly will miss the entire season with a broken foot.

Watson was averaging 6.7 points and 4.1 rebounds a game before the injury.