Westbrook shows off versatility in UConn debut
STORRS — Evina Westbrook called it a solid day.
The junior played 21 minutes in Saturday’s season opening 79-23 victory over UMass Lowell, her first game as a Husky following a layoff of more than a year.
“On a scale of one to 10, probably a five or six,” Westbrook said of her performance. “Definitely wasn’t that top tier best game of my life. I haven’t played in what feels like two years.
“Just really going out there first game, first game in a UConn jersey getting all the jitters out, mistakes out, just the overall excitement of that first game in over a year.”
Considering all it took to get to this point, that’s what mattered most. The former Tennessee star was forced to sit out last season after the NCAA infamously denied her transfer waiver. She ended up undergoing left knee surgery last December, her second in six months, and was medically cleared in May.
But it’s no secret she’s still not 100 percent.
“Evina hasn’t played in a long, long time coming off surgery,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “We try to give her breaks during practice. In a game I try to let her go, then give her some breather, then let her go.
Westbrook earned the start in her first game in 630 days. She contributed five points, four assists and two steals, showing the kind of versatility that Auriemma loves in his guards.
“She’s another one that you could put in a lot of different scenarios,” Auriemma said. “She’s going to make a 3 like she did, she’s going to get in the lane and make a play, she’s going to get a rebound, she’s going to pester you on defense. She’s going to help you in a lot of different ways.”
One play in particular stood out, with Westbrook dropping a no-look pass over her shoulder to Paige Bueckers for a transition layup early in the second quarter.
“I think it was a good first game for all of us,” Westbrook said. “Just getting out there and finally getting a game was the biggest thing for me.”
Only after it was over did Westbrook allow herself a
minute to reflect on what it meant to be back.
“I don’t think it really hit me until the end of the game, honestly, until after Coach had talked to us when we were in the locker room,” Westbrook said. “Then it just kind of hit me like, ‘Oof, that just happened.’ Just taking it all in, that was a great experience for me.”
BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR RALPH
UConn assistant Shea Ralph did her best to treat Saturday like any other game, though it certainly was unique on a personal level. On the opposite
bench was Ralph’s husband, Tom Garrick, who’s in his third season coaching UMass Lowell.
For the most part, Ralph was her normal stoic self, according to Auriemma.
“One time I wanted to call off the press,” Auriemma said with a tinge of sarcasm, “and she said, ‘Why?’ I don’t know what happened, Tom might’ve said something last night or this morning or something, I don’t know. I said we should sub our starters out, she goes, ‘Not yet.’ I don’t what that means. I would have to ask Tom.
“No, Shea was Shea. She wasn’t any different.”