The Times reported Sunday on 2 player injuries sustained  during the Pauley Pavilion disaster (which does not include the severe emotional distress suffered during the game by those of us in the stands):   '"Forward Michael Roll strained a muscle in his midsection early in the game and will be re-valuated today.  Guard Jerime Anderson, who was slowed by a groin injury earlier this season, was limited to nine minutes, all in the first half, because of a hip flexor.  'He had tweaked it on Tuesday,' Howland said. 'It's in the same area as the groin. I didn't want him to aggravate it in the second half. We have a lot of games to play.'  Howland said Anderson 'didn't practice the last two days, and we didn't want to make that public and didn't want it to make their game plan.'  . . .  Roll said he took a knee in the stomach.  'Any time I turn, or any movement I make, it hurts,' he said." 

Add to that the Bobo remains out with a thigh injury.  

The truth is injuries have and currently do play a role  in our Lavin-like losing record.  Would the record be different at the end of October if 5 players were not missing practices due to injuries, if Anderson was not playing with injuries all season, if Honeycutt never fractured his back,  and three players were not hurting dudes  Saturday?      Its speculation to say we would have won more games.   And the lack of effort and inability to hit free throws is not an excuse for the for the uninjured.  But on the other hand, we certainly wouldn't be as bad as we are.  As we struggle to remain loyal and to understand this darkness that has descended upon us, we need to factor in injuries.