You probably won’t be able to miss Arizona’s four talented freshmen during Sunday’s Red-Blue Game. But the Wildcats quietly will also be unveiling another big key to their future.
T.J. McConnell, the Wildcats’ junior point guard from Duquesne, will be making his only public appearance of the season. As a transfer, McConnell must sit out the season and is not eligible to play in exhibition games, only home practices and scrimmages such as the Red-Blue Game.
His situation differs from that of junior forward Matt Korcheck, who transferred from Cochise College. Korcheck is intending to redshirt but because he is eligible to play and is in his first year at UA, he is able to play in the two exhibition games and still redshirt provided he does not play in a regular game.
Sitting out all season could be a source of frustration for McConnell, who was given third-team all Atlantic-10 honors and made the conference’s all-defensive team last season. But McConnell, who is expected to take over for Mark Lyons at the point in 2013-14, says he’s just happy to be at UA.
“I want to thank the coaches for the opportunity,” McConnell said. “Everything’s been great, and they’ve welcomed me with open arms…. I’m just trying to get familiar with the offense and doing whatever the team needs me to do.”
Read more about McConnell in Friday's Arizona Daily Star.
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