At 17.8 points per game and a free throw percentage in the low 90’s, Gary Buchanan is one of the keys to a successful season for ‘Nova’s men’s basketball team.

But the ever-so-accurate Buchanan won’t be shooting any free throws or even seeing the court for at least two to three weeks following his latest injury. Just this past Sunday, Buchanan went under the knife at Bryn Mawr Hospital to remove a piece of cartilage that broke loose from his femur. The injury occurred on Nov. 13 when Buchanan landed roughly on his left knee and the cartilage broke loose. The surgery was intended to go in and take out the loose piece of cartilage, which was about the size of a dime, out from his leg and then smooth down the rough area where the cartilage broke off.

Buchanan is no stranger to injury; this is simply the latest in an extremely injury prone preseason. In fact, he injured himself in his first practice back from his second significant injury, a slight fracture of his thumb (on his non-shooting hand). These two injuries come on the heels of a sprained knee injury that had previously hampered him. It is expected to take two to three weeks recovery time for a surgery of this type, and then Buchanan has to get back up to game shape. With his absence, expect more minutes to be given to the freshman duo of Allen Ray and Randy Foye.

Buchanan’s services will be missed in the season opener against Philadelphia rival Drexel on Friday night. Drexel boasts a strong frontcourt headlined by its defensively sound center Robert Battle. Picked to finish fourth in a weaker division, the ‘Cats really shouldn’t have too much trouble with the lesser Drexel Dragons.