Not again.
That was the reaction of Towson University guard Alis Freeman when she went down with a knee injury early in the regular season last year. It was the third anterior cruciate ligament injury of her career.
“I just went up to catch a ball and landed wrong,” said Freeman, who suffered the injury in a game against Drexel.
The sophomore point guard has rehabbed and is getting back into the swing of things now, as Towson prepares for the Nov. 11 season opener against Georgetown.
“Its hard, but you got to do what you got to do,” Freeman said of her comeback. “It?s not easy.”
The Tigers? coaching staff is being careful with the Potomac, Md., native, but she is raring to go.
“I was supposed to be doing 75 percent, but when I get in scrimmages, it?s hard to slow down,” Freeman said. “In scrimmage time, I go full speed.”
The speed Freeman speaks of will be key in the Tigers? upcoming season, and with six newcomers on the floor, chemistry will play a role, as well.
“It?s probably one of our quickest, more athletic teams that we?ve put on the court,” Towson coach Joe Matthews said. “Our league is very, very difficult every night, so you have to make sure you do the fundamental things to win.”
Freeman?s impact will have a large bearing on Towson?s success. While she hasn?t been on the court for almost a year, she does bring experience to the floor.
“She hasn?t lost a whole lot, but what she?s gained is a lot more intelligence in how the game is played,” Matthews said. “We need her on the floor.”
The Colonial Athletic Conference ? with four of the top teams returning most of their talent ? will be difficult on a Towson squad that went 9-19 a year ago. But Freeman sees reason to believe.
“I think we?ll do pretty well,” she said. “We have a lot of newcomers ? and we have a lot of depth now. If we stay away from injuries, we?ll do pretty well.”
Her coach agreed.
“If we can get her on the floor at 100-percent strength, she makes a significant impact on this team,” Matthews said.
Running Free Man
» Alis Freeman played in six games, starting five, before her injury last year, averaging 10.2 points and 4.5 assists per game.
» The 5-foot-9 guard was a five-time CAA rookie of the week as a freshman, averaging 11.7 points and leading the team in assists (129) and steals (89).
» Freeman sat out the 2003-04 season as a medical redshirt with an ACL injury.
