? Wright State basketball coach Brad Brownell received the call he was expecting but didn't want to take.
It came late Wednesday, Jan. 21, when All-Horizon League junior guard Vaughn Duggins told Brownell he would take a medical redshirt and not play anymore this season after breaking his right ring finger on Thanksgiving Day. Because he has played in only four games, Duggins should receive a fifth year of eligibility from the NCAA should he want it after next season.
"We had been going over reasons why he might and might not play," Brownell said. "He didn't want to let his teammates down. He wanted to play with (seniors) Will (Graham) and Gavin (Horne).
"But he didn't feel right. He still doesn't have complete range of motion. The doctor told him it would take three months for him to be completely healthy. It was mostly his decision."
Duggins wanted to return this season, but he has already missed 14 games and wasn't ready to play against visiting Loyola (Chicago) tonight or Illinois-Chicago on Saturday. The Raiders also have adjusted without him, winning 10 of their last 12 games.
"It has a little bit to do with not being myself," Duggins said of the decision. "I live for today, but I want to play basketball as a career. This decision will be the best for me."
Duggins, a 6-foot-3 guard from Pendleton, Ind., made the all-league newcomer team as a freshman in 2007, averaging 9.0 points while starting 32 of 33 games. Last season, averaging 13.8 points as a starter in every game, he was the only sophomore selected first-team all-league.
He was again projected as one of the Horizon's top-five players this season, and scored 31 points over the Raiders' first three games, all losses. Before the fourth game, at Sam Houston State, Duggins "sprained" his finger in practice.
With the swelling down, Duggins played with his finger taped, scoring 16, although the Raiders lost. His finger was X-rayed as a precaution, and the break was found. Two pins were inserted into the finger Dec. 3, and four weeks later he was cleared for limited practice.
"To have an all-conference body in the lineup, it would be a shot in the arm for us," Brownell said. "But he's not going to be 100 percent right now. He's not going to be Vaughn Duggins."
It came late Wednesday, Jan. 21, when All-Horizon League junior guard Vaughn Duggins told Brownell he would take a medical redshirt and not play anymore this season after breaking his right ring finger on Thanksgiving Day. Because he has played in only four games, Duggins should receive a fifth year of eligibility from the NCAA should he want it after next season.
"We had been going over reasons why he might and might not play," Brownell said. "He didn't want to let his teammates down. He wanted to play with (seniors) Will (Graham) and Gavin (Horne).
"But he didn't feel right. He still doesn't have complete range of motion. The doctor told him it would take three months for him to be completely healthy. It was mostly his decision."
Duggins wanted to return this season, but he has already missed 14 games and wasn't ready to play against visiting Loyola (Chicago) tonight or Illinois-Chicago on Saturday. The Raiders also have adjusted without him, winning 10 of their last 12 games.
"It has a little bit to do with not being myself," Duggins said of the decision. "I live for today, but I want to play basketball as a career. This decision will be the best for me."
Duggins, a 6-foot-3 guard from Pendleton, Ind., made the all-league newcomer team as a freshman in 2007, averaging 9.0 points while starting 32 of 33 games. Last season, averaging 13.8 points as a starter in every game, he was the only sophomore selected first-team all-league.
He was again projected as one of the Horizon's top-five players this season, and scored 31 points over the Raiders' first three games, all losses. Before the fourth game, at Sam Houston State, Duggins "sprained" his finger in practice.
With the swelling down, Duggins played with his finger taped, scoring 16, although the Raiders lost. His finger was X-rayed as a precaution, and the break was found. Two pins were inserted into the finger Dec. 3, and four weeks later he was cleared for limited practice.
"To have an all-conference body in the lineup, it would be a shot in the arm for us," Brownell said. "But he's not going to be 100 percent right now. He's not going to be Vaughn Duggins."
