ALBANY — After leaving Saturday’s win against Maine in the final minute with a left knee injury, fifth-year senior Travis Charles won’t play in Tuesday’s regular season finale for the University at Albany’s men’s basketball team against Binghamton.
Charles, UAlbany head coach Will Brown said Monday, will miss that game — his senior night — with a sprained MCL in his left knee.
“It’s not good,” Brown said.
Beyond Tuesday’s game, No. 4 UAlbany plays Saturday in the America East quarterfinals against No. 5 Stony Brook.
Brown termed his availability for that one like this: “Highly, highly, highly questionable.”
UAlbany did not make Charles available for comment with media members after Monday’s practice.
On the season, Charles is averaging 14.9 points on 55.2 percent shooting, plus 5.6 rebounds. While junior Joe Cremo — who shared an America East Player of the Week honor Monday — is who Brown sees as his program’s best player, Charles’ value as the team’s super-efficient power forward is more than substantial.
“Travis is the most valuable [player] on this year’s team,” Brown said.
Without Charles, UAlbany will need to rely more on fifth-year senior Alex Foster and sophomore Matt Conway to play down low alongside senior Greig Stire. Foster is averaging 4.2 points and 4.5 rebounds this season, while Conway has averaged 2.2 points and 1.0 rebounds.
Without Charles available, Brown had the Great Danes working on some four-guard lineups given the team’s lack of depth at forward without Charles.
“Obviously, we prefer not to [play small], but just is what it is right now,” Brown said.
Brown said he plans to start his three healthy seniors — Costa Anderson, Foster and Stire — on their senior night, plus junior Devonte Campbell and Cremo.
Reach Michael Kelly at [email protected] or @ByMichaelKelly on Twitter.
Categories: -Sports-, College Sports
