Storrs — UConn starting center Amida Brimah is expected to miss six to eight weeks after breaking a finger on his right hand during practice on Monday.

Doctors examined Brimah on Tuesday morning and scheduled surgery for Wednesday afternoon at the UConn Health Center in Farmington.

It's a big loss for the Huskies.

A 7-foot junior co-captain from Ghana, Brimah is one of the nation's leading shot blockers. His presence alone under the basket discourages opposing players from attacking the rim. He was named the American Athletic Conference defensive player of the year last season.

He is averaging 7.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and three blocks – ninth in the nation — per game this season.

A groin injury forced Brimah to sit out Sunday's victory over UMass Lowell, ending his team-best streak of 84 consecutive games. The Huskies started a smaller lineup, replacing Brimah with freshman guard Jalen Adams.

"As I said after the game on Sunday, Amida is one of the best defensive players in the country, so obviously not having him has a big impact on us," coach Kevin Ollie said in a release. "But you never know when somebody can get hurt, which is why everybody always has to be ready to play.

"Everyone will have to lift their level of play — the big men, of course, but our guards, as well will have to play better defense on the perimeter without Amida in there. We look at it as an opportunity for somebody to step up and have an impact on the game and the program. And I believe every player on this team has the capability to do that."

Without Brimah on Sunday, the Huskies allowed a season-high 50 percent from the field. Ollie cited Brimah's absence and a lack of intensity as reasons for the defensive issues.

"He's our backbone," junior Rodney Purvis said Sunday. "Once we get blown by or miss a defensive assignment, he's always there for us. (Sunday), he wasn't there. It kind of showed a little bit. ... We've got to be able to keep our defensive level up when he's not playing because we never know what's going to happen."

Now the Huskies will truly find out what life without Brimah is like for the next six to eight weeks, starting with today's game against Central Connecticut State University at 12:30 p.m. at the XL Center in Hartford.

Junior Kentan Facey and senior Phil Nolan are two potential frontcourt replacements for Brimah.