Anteater Guard Williams Says He Wants to Redshirt

UC Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan, who has had his share of unhappy point guards in the past, may have another one this season.

Sophomore Bryan Williams, a 5-foot 10-inch sophomore who set a school single-game record for assists last season, was in attendance at Thursday night’s game against Montana, but not in uniform. Williams watched the game from the stands.

Earlier in the week, Irvine had announced that Williams would be out indefinitely with a nagging back injury. The announcement came after Williams, who played in 23 games last season, had gone without playing time in the Anteaters’ first three games.

At halftime of Thursday’s game, Williams said he intends to redshirt this season. But Mulligan said he may have to appeal to the NCAA to retain the year of eligibility, because he played in UCI’s exhibition game against Club Bosnia of Yugoslavia.

With transfer guards Joe Buchanan, Scott Brooks and Mike Hess playing well, there appears to be little room in the Irvine lineup for Williams. But he said doctors have advised him to sit out the remainder of the season with what UCI trainer Paul Gardikas termed a possible compressed disc.

“The X-rays showed the disc space is narrowing,” Gardikas said. “It bothered him in heavy jumping drills. It may bother him throughout his career.”

Williams was asked if he was contemplating leaving the team.

“If the coach thinks it’s best for me to leave, I’ll leave,” he said. “But I’m still on the team. It’s not like he wants me to leave.”

Mulligan would only say that Williams is out for the season.

“He says he is, and the trainer says he is,” Mulligan said.