Talked to Tyler Olander, who was sitting on the UConn bench with crutches and a walking boot on his left foot. He said he’d had a stress fracture in his foot for a few weeks before it finally “cracked” against South Florida.


Here’s some more of what he had to say:

(on his season as a whole)

“It wasn’t what I was hoping for and what I came into this season expecting. I’m thinking a lot about going into next season, how much harder I have to work and things I have to do to get better.”

(I asked him if he, like several other UConn players, was forced to play out of position this season as a five, rather than a face-up four)

“I really think that was my game. I’m not really a back-to-the-basket kind of guy. I thought it was a good experience, I learned a lot, learned to use my right hand, stuff like that. Playing out of position, I guess, but I did learn a lot.”

(if he thinks he’ll play more power forward next season, with a couple of big man recruits coming in)

“I think I might be able to. I hope I will be able to. But if I don’t, I’d rather be on the court, so if I have to play the five, it’s no problem.”