With a badly crippled line-up, the 1928 basketball quintet faces a strong Worcester Academy five in the Freshman Gymnasium at 3 o'clock this afternoon.

The Freshman team, untouched by injuries up to last week, has been completely shattered since the Hebron game. Captain Baldwin and Slocum, the two star forwards, are out indefinitely. Baldwin is suffering from an injured hip, while Slocum has a sprained ankle which refuses to mend. Pusey and Cozzens, substitute forwards who have had little experience so far this season, are due to start the game.

At center Coach Drohan plans to use Barbee, his regular right guard, because of the absence of all three centers. Green has been in the infirmary most of the week, and will not be able to don a uniform until the middle of next week, McCurdy, like Slocum, has a sprained ankle which has kept him from practice since the Hebron game. Lane, the third string center, has been troubled with a painful foot all week, and will not be used except in an emergency, today. The other casualty, Oothout, will probably start the game, but he is not yet in good condition.

In spite of this string of injuries, coming one on top of the other in the past week, Coach Drohan was fairly cheerful last night about the prospects of his team today.

Makeshift Line-Up Has Week's Practice

The makeshift line-up which will be on the floor at the opening whistle has been working together all week in an effort to gain power and teamwork. Barbee is slowly becoming accustomed to his new position, but he will have to last the entire game because Coach Drohan has no more center reserves on hand. Out of a squad of 19, only 12 have been practicing regularly this week, just enough to make up two teams for daily scrimmages.

Worcester Academy unmercifully defeated last year's Freshman quintet by a 40 to 12 score, and four members of that team, Hurley, Lashenske, McIntire, and Follette are back again this year. They are reported to be a heavy, hard-playing group, with a defense difficult to penetrate and a fast attack.