UConn starting forward Nik Khamenia is expected to miss at least six to eight weeks after injuring his left foot, coach Dan Hurley announced Thursday, Nov. 12. The sophomore transfer from Duke was hurt midway through the first half of Monday night's 83-41 victory over Wagner, interrupting a strong start with the fourth-ranked Huskies.
The injury leaves UConn facing an immediate adjustment before a demanding series of games. The Huskies play Ohio State on Friday, travel to face No. 12 Arizona on Nov. 18 and meet No. 2 Duke at a neutral site in Las Vegas on Nov. 25. That schedule gives Hurley little time to reorganize his lineup around Khamenia's absence.
Khamenia had stepped into the role previously occupied by Alex Karaban, a four-year starter, and quickly supplied efficient shooting. He made his first three attempts from beyond the arc against Wagner before his night ended after 10 minutes. For the season, he is shooting 61.9% from the field and 54.5% from 3-point range, while averaging 10.7 points. His six made 3-pointers rank second on the team behind Braylon Mullins.
His early contributions followed a productive exhibition appearance in which he scored a team-leading 19 points in UConn's 78-70 win over Michigan State. A five-star recruit in the 2025 class according to 247Sports, Khamenia spent his freshman season coming off Duke's bench. He averaged 5.7 points in 19.8 minutes per game and shot 34% from 3-point range before entering the 2026 transfer cycle as a top-40 player.
Freshman forward Colben Landrew is a possible option to take on a larger role. The 6-foot-6 recruit, ranked No. 26 in the 2026 class, has averaged 22.3 minutes off the bench. Although his perimeter shooting differs from Khamenia's, he contributed across several categories in last Friday's 85-77 victory over defending national champion Michigan, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes.
Hurley has used nine players in his rotation this season. Khamenia's absence could lead to an eight-player rotation during the coming weeks as UConn faces its upcoming opponents.
This is the fourth consecutive season in which an important UConn newcomer has faced an extended injury absence. Mullins missed seven games early last season with an ankle injury. Liam McNeeley missed eight games because of an ankle injury in 2024-25, while Stephon Castle sat out six with a knee injury during UConn's championship season in 2023-24.
