Samuelson won't play during upcoming UConn road trip

This season features plenty of homecoming games for UConn's star players. However,the first one isn't going down as originally planned.

All-American Katie Lou Samuelson grew up in Huntington Beach, California about an hour's drive from the UCLA campus but when the Huskies play at UCLA on Tuesday, a foot injury will keep Samuelson from playing.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma said that x-rays came back negative so there are no fractures in her injured left foot but she will not play against UCLA, Michigan State or Nevada.

"Incredibly frustrating for her, I am sure," Auriemma said. "The injury is frustrating itself but to then be injured when you are going home to play in front of your family and friends, I know she is really upset about it but there is nothing that could have been done to prevent it. There is nothing that you can do now, all you can do is make the most of it.

"It is a shame. I told her there is an opportunity for her to learn more about basketball watching these next two weeks of basketball than she has learned in the two years she has been playing here and all of her previous years playing because when you sit there and you know you aren't going to play, you start to see things you never saw before so there is a chance she can come back better than she already is."

Perhaps Samuelson could return for the Dec. 3 showdown with Notre Dame at the XL Center or the game at DePaul on Dec. 8. If not, the Huskies don't play for about a week and a half after that.

"I never believe anything the doctors say because I always assume the worst so if they say it is going to be a week to two weeks, I go, 'it is going to be a month,'" Auriemma said. "I am a pessimist, I want to be happily surprised when she comes back earlier. They are saying now it could be two weeks, could be less, could be more but I just know she is not playing this week and who knows. I am not counting on her today and the next three games for sure.

"No fractures or anything like that, there's a lot of swelling but the x-rays looks good."