Editor's note: Fresh Eyes is a series following four freshmen basketball players as they navigate being a student-athlete. You can find earlier installments here.

NAMPA, Idaho – When Erin Jenkins rolled her ankle in a practice recently, it was the first time in her life she was injured during a basketball season.

Jenkins missed two games and was limited in a third, but has been working hard to rehabilitate her injury so she can get back to helping her teammates as they chase after a national tournament berth.

"It's more frustrating to me that since I rolled it, I feel like I haven't been as fast or can move as quickly as I had been," she said. "I have to keep telling myself that it will get better and I will get back to the playing the way I want to."

The only other time Jenkins has been hurt was last summer.

She was playing pickup ball at her grandpa's house in Rexburg on the Fourth of July when she dislocated her right knee cap. She wasn't able to start playing again until October and still wears a brace during games.

At the time, though, it ruined a family reunion more than anything.

"It was the worst day to dislocate it. We were trying to get to the hospital, but we had to take backroads because there were parades going on," she said. "We still did all the fun activities, I just didn't get to participate. The next day everyone went whitewater rafting and I didn't get to go, which was really sad.

"I had to spend the time with my family on crutches."

While Jenkins is having to adjust to playing basketball with an injury, she is also having to adjust in the classroom as second semester is underway.

In first semester, the Nighthawks didn't travel very much so she didn't miss much class. Now that they are in the thick of conference play, though, they are gone every other week.

"I have to get used to that," she said. "This semester will probably be a lot harder, but all my professors are really chill about it. They work with me, so that's nice."

IN A SLUMP

Jordan Pinson has been in a bit of a slump the last few games.

This has happened before in high school and she has generally just shot her way out of them. While the backup point guard is obviously unhappy about it, she's also enjoying being on a team where her slump isn't the end of the world.

The Nighthawks just keep rolling along.

"In high school, it was different because I had to do more, so (the slumps) overwhelmed me," she said. "Here I just worry about playing better defense. Instead of worrying about shooting better, I can worry about more assists, less turnovers, better defense. I think that helps."

Pinson is still fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 8.3 points per contest but she hasn't reached double digits in scoring in her last seven games.

"I played better defense than I had in a while (Thursday)," she said, "so I think the slump might be ending."

She had seven points and three assists in Saturday's 83-56 win against Concordia.

Off the court, Pinson is still struggling with home sickness which is understandable considering she is from Texas.

A familiar face has made it bearable, though.

"Having my best friend here as my roommate has made it much easier," Pinson said of Maria "Pretty" Ismera. "And being with the girls (on the team) all the time so I'm never really alone."

ROADTRIP!

For the first time this season, Gabe Murphy and George Reidy and the other three redshirts went on a road trip with the active roster.

When NNU traveled to Ellensburg, Wash., to take on Central Washington last week they took a bus which made taking the freshmen cost effective.

"It was really fun and it was great to get a feel for what it will be like traveling next year," Murphy said. "The bus ride was a little rough, but at the same time, driving up there was really pretty. I haven't been in the Northwest a lot, so seeing the mountains and the snow was nice."

At the game, Murphy was his usual self – cheering, chanting and generally having fun.

"On the road, we don't have a lot of fans, so we have to rely on each other and feed off of each other's energy," he said. "It was good to go and provide some of the energy I provide at home games."

For Reidy, the trip was a bit of an eye opener about the life of a college athlete.

"I got the feel for staying in a hotel with your teammates and that it's not a vacation," he said. "It is really like a business trip. You are there for a very specific reason and you have to take care of yourself with sleep and meals and school work.

"I took a test on the way back on the bus at 11 p.m. We rolled back to campus at 4 a.m. and I had a 9 a.m. class. So, it was a good taste of what life on the road is like."

AFTER HOURS

The Johnson Sports Center closes at 9 p.m. during the school year, but that hasn't stopped Murphy from finding ways to sneak in.

Before you report him to campus security, though, just know that it is for a good reason.

"I'm just trying to get better," he said. "I have gotten this far because I've worked really hard and put in a lot of time and effort. I'll come in early or at night – that gives me more time during the day to do my academics."

Perhaps Murphy should get a job working at the front desk, which would get him access to a master key. Then he wouldn't have to sneak around to get his shots in.

CLEARING SPACE

Murphy and Reidy may be redshirting, but that doesn't keep them from going hard in practice.

The five redshirts are charged with being the scout team and mimicking future opponents. Because of that they give 100 percent in practice even if sometimes that means other players get injured.

During a practice a few weeks ago, the team was doing a ball screen drill and there was some miscommunication between Reidy and Felix White. Reidy inadvertently elbowed White in the head, giving him a concussion and knocking him out for a game.

"Every day we have a job and that is to give the team a look," Reidy said. "We are assigned roles … Gabe has to play with his left hand a lot because of the scout. On the defensive side, especially, we go hard. We want to make sure they are ready to go.

"When coach asks us to play defense we aren't going to take it easy because we don't want them to be surprised by anything in the game."