The UConn Huskies are facing serious travel issues that could prevent them from arriving in Arizona until the early hours of Thursday morning.
The UConn men’s basketball team currently does not have a plane to travel to Phoenix due to logistical and mechanical issues, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reported Wednesday.
The team’s original flight was supposed to arrive from Kansas City, but delays led to increasing problems, one of which was that the flight crew from KC reportedly exceeded the hours allowed by the FAA and could not immediately turn around. to fly to Phoenix.
The earliest the Huskies could arrive in Arizona is 5 a.m. Eastern/2 a.m. local time, just a few hours before Thursday’s media availability.
To accomplish this, the team would have to take a smaller plane from Cincinnati, which would require a refueling stop along the way in order to reach its final destination and other charter flight companies have no long-term availability. next five hours, Norlander reported.
The ordeal put UConn in a bizarre and less-than-ideal situation heading into the Final Four.
Alabama and Purdue flew in Tuesday and North Carolina State arrived in Phoenix earlier in the day Wednesday.
As of Wednesday night, the Huskies’ two options appear to be taking the flight that leaves after midnight or their original plane from Kansas City that won’t be able to fly until 10 a.m. Thursday due to FAA regulations regarding crewing.
No further details were available when USA TODAY Network contacted UConn Sports Information.
UConn’s Final Four game against Alabama isn’t until Saturday night at 8:49 p.m. ET, which still gives the Huskies plenty of time to get to Phoenix.
New York Post
