Injury report, sort of

I'm not making the trip north to Idaho State this weekend. But in a rare fit of empathy for the basketball team, I'm sitting on my couch watching the Football Championship semifinal on TV live from Montana, imagining just how cold it is up in Big Sky Country. ESPN's broadcasting crew seems to be having trouble thinking of anything else. I'm not only one who is going miss this weekend's game. UC Davis coach Gary Stewart said his team was, once again, beset by injuries.

He declined to specify who would be out. In fact, he's what he said: “We’re a mess, an absolute mess,” Stewart said. “We’ll count bodies (Friday) at 11. that’s the truth. I couldn’t tell you who’s going and who’s not going right now. It’s a day to day thing. I’d imagine we’ll be down at the minimum of two players that played against Jackson State.” I'm not in the business of guessing either. Stewart said center Michael Boone still hasn't been cleared academically to play. Forward Kyle Brucculeri is back in practice, although perhaps not ready for D-I basketball. But he's closer than he's been.

“He got some good news from the doctor,” Stewart said. “He just needs to have some good news from the head coach.”