Feb. 11, 2011
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF power forward A.J. Tyler could barely stand up straight because of the searing pain in his right side, but just for peace of mind he had to prove to himself that he couldn't play before the Knights were about to take on Florida back in December.
So as the Knights were practicing one day, Tyler went off by himself and tried jogging down a hallway to see if there was any way he could get back on the court for the showdown against the Gators, the team his older brother had played for years earlier.
Considering that Tyler had a torn oblique muscle and two other badly strained muscles in his right side, the results of his little jog weren't pretty.
``I was trying to convince myself that I could play. While the team was practicing I went downstairs and tried to jog and I just like completely fell down,'' Tyler remembered. ``You want to play so bad and you try to convince yourself you can do it, but I had to physically prove to myself that it was impossible.''
The injury interrupted Tyler's senior season, costing him seven games, including the upsets of Florida and Miami. Getting back all the way healthy was a big-time struggle for the 6-foot-9, 225-pound Tyler, but he's shown good signs lately of rounding into form.
Tyler had a 10-point, nine-rebound effort last week against East Carolina and came back to produce another nine points and three rebounds in Wednesday's heart-breaking, last-second loss to Memphis. He's made eight of his last 14 shots while also hitting two 3-pointers against Memphis to keep the Knights in position to win that game.
``We've been asking more from A.J. and he's delivered,'' said UCF coach Donnie Jones, whose Knights (14-8) host Tulsa (13-10) Saturday night at 7 p.m. at UCF Arena. ``I know he went through a spurt after he had his injury and he had to get back some game experience and confidence. These last few games he's playing well down the stretch.''
Tyler said the ticking clock on his college career is more present than ever in his mind these days. Even though UCF has fallen from the national rankings, he said there's still plenty to play for this season. One of UCF's quietest and most reserved players, Tyler has tried to lead by example after fighting back from an injury that could have completely cost him his senior season.
``It's hard to think about because it's gone by so quick. This last month or so it's going to be like nothing,'' Tyler said of his college career. ``You feel that urgency to put everything out there more than you ever have. You see that time running down, it gives you that extra spark and extra determination because you don't want to look back and think you didn't give it your all. So I'm trying to give everything to help this team come out with a successful season, which I know we can still do.''
Tyler wondered if a senior season off to such a promising start was over by late November when he took a knee to the hip while trying to take a charge at the end of the defeat of Stetson. Tyler immediately left the game, knowing something wasn't right. The injury was initially diagnosed as a hip injury, but a MRI later showed the shredded oblique muscle and two other muscles that were badly strained.
Tyler had taken dozens of charges before, but this time had him wondering why an injury like this would knock him out of action so long. The Palm Harbor native ached to play against the Gators - a game that UCF won 57-54 at the Amway Center - but the pain in his side just made it impossible.
``The first week I couldn't even stand up and I was just so hunched over. Gradually it got a little better. But it was a good three weeks before I could really walk around,'' Tyler said. ``When it happens, you get down on yourself a little, but I was trying to keep a positive look at it and keep things in perspective. It wasn't season-ending or career-ending.''
He was back on the floor just after Christmas, but because he missed so much time it took Tyler's game longer to round into shape. As he struggled with his shot, Jones stressed to him to relax and to focus on his defense and rebounding and just let his shot come back gradually.
And finally it has considering the way he confidently stroked in shots on Wednesday night against Memphis. UCF lost that game 63-62 when Antonio Barton hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds to play, but the Knights were back out on the practice some 15 hours later drilling on end-of-game situations.
Tyler said there is a resiliency in this basketball team and it is one that will keep fighting to the end this season.
``You just have to keep working and keep moving forward. The Memphis game was a tough loss, but if you sit there and sulk on it then you won't get better,'' he said. ``You can't let it drag on to the next game or the next practice. It's hard to do, but that's what we have to do now. We haven't let up at all and the practices are the best I've been a part of. We're just all about working hard and trying to fix the kinks.''
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.