A bizarre and stomach-churning incident interrupted a college basketball game on Sunday evening, as a University of Connecticut player was forced to sprint from the court after being physically sick during play.
Halftime Concoction Causes Chaos
The dramatic scene unfolded during the No. 5 UConn Huskies' clash with DePaul. Following a foul by teammate Alex Karaban, Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. was seen rushing from the floor, unable to contain the contents of his stomach. He initially ran to the opposite side of the court from his own locker room before eventually making his way down the UConn tunnel, with concerned coach Dan Hurley following close behind to check on his player.
The cause of the unfortunate episode was revealed after the game. Taking to his social media account, Coach Hurley explained the unusual dietary misstep. "I just spoke to Silas on the plane...He's feeling great now...the problem on the court was that he mixed an electrolyte drink with pickle juice at Halftime," Hurley posted. He added, "That was obviously a mistake."
From Setback to Stellar Stat Line
While drinking pickle juice is a known method for athletes to replace electrolytes and prevent cramping, the combination with a salty sports drink proved too much for Demary's system. After the distressing interruption and a clean-up, the player demonstrated remarkable resilience by returning to the court.
Demary didn't just return; he excelled. Shaking off the incident, he finished the game with an impressive 13 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, contributing significantly to his team's 72-54 victory. His post-game message on Instagram, featuring a face-palm emoji and the caption "i'm good everybody" with laughing emojis, showed he had taken the event in good humour.
Huskies Dominate Despite Distraction
The game itself was a commanding performance from the highly-ranked Huskies. Alex Karaban led Connecticut with 21 points and six rebounds, while centre Tarris Reed Jr. recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The win was never in serious doubt, even with the mid-game disruption.
The Huskies will now enjoy the NCAA-mandated holiday break before returning to action. Their next challenge is an away game against Xavier in Cincinnati on New Year's Eve. The team will hope for a less eventful halftime routine as they continue their season.
