Beatrice Bofia's left knee throbbed with so much pain at night, she says she turned to prayer.
"I was asking God to help me," she said.
Her knee feels better and looks less swollen than after she injured it on Nov. 1. But Bofia, a 6-foot-7-inch junior on the UA women's basketball team, is still feeling enormous disappointment that she will have to undergo surgery for a torn ACL and torn meniscus and will miss the season.
Bofia, 22, hails from Yaoundé, Cameroon. She transferred to the UA from Illinois Central College before the season.
"It's very, very hard," she said. "I get homesick. If I was at home, I'd have my brothers and sisters and mom and dad, and it'd be easier to pass through."
Bofia is also upset she will miss playing with her twin, Suzy, who is also on the team. They played together for two seasons in junior college.
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Suzy, a starter, averages 5.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. They expect to play together next season, when Suzy will be a senior and Beatrice a redshirt junior.
Beatrice has not played in any games after injuring the knee during warm-ups of the Red & Blue Game.
"It's hard," Beatrice said. "I have to think positive. I can help my sister, give her advice."
Beatrice said she will have surgery as early as Dec. 14, after she completes final exams.
"I was excited to come here and play right away," she said. "I just have to think positive. I just have to use this year to get better and work on my moves after the surgery and get better for next season."
Bofia injured the knee landing awkwardly on it after catching a pass during warm-ups of the scrimmage.
"Somebody passed me the ball; the ball was so high," she said. "I shouldn't have jumped, but I jumped so high to get it and then I landed bad."
Bofia was examined and played six minutes, finishing with four points. She left the game after experiencing more pain.
"It got worse, but it was already hurt," she said.
Initially the injury was said not to be an ACL tear, but rather a sprained knee ligament. The tear was diagnosed late last week.
"She wanted to see if she could get through this without surgery," coach Joan Bonvicini said. "It's not going to be possible."
The UA (5-3) hosts No. 23 New Mexico (5-2) at 7 tonight. The Wildcats have won four of their last five games. The Lobos were picked to win the Mountain West Conference.
"I'm still trying to get a game where we play a full 40 minutes well and get more balance between guards and posts," Bonvicini said.
Rim shots
● Freshman starter Rheya Neabors might miss the game because of a foot injury.
● Bonvicini said she is hopeful Jessica Arnold will play after getting hit in the chin last week.
Today
● Who: No. 23 New Mexico at Arizona
● Where: McKale Center
● When: 7 p.m.
● Radio: 1400-AM
