UConn women open NCAA basketball tournament tonight against Towson
Senior All-American is anxious to return after three-week layoff
“She’s been kind of given leeway as to ‘Hey, how much do you think you can do and how much are you willing to try to do?’ Lou said, ‘I want to play,’ so she’s gonna play. She might even tell me when she’s going in and when she’s coming out and what plays we’re running. I don’t really care at this point.” UCONN COACH GENO AURIEMMA ON KATIE LOU SAMUELSON
Storrs — Katie Lou Samuelson was a cheering, towel-waving, confetti-throwing member of the UConn women's basketball team during its recent three-games-in-three-days stretch in the American Athletic Conference tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Samuelson, the 6-foot-3 senior All-American who suffered back spasms during Senior Day on March 2 against Houston, still had fun watching her younger teammates develop and help the Huskies win another AAC title.
"I love my team and I love the game," Samuelson said Thursday.
Now, after 19 days rest, Samuelson is ready for her final NCAA run.
Second-seeded UConn (31-2) meets No. 15 Towson (20-12) in the first round today at Gampel Pavilion (approximately 6:30 p.m., ESPN2). No. 7 Rutgers (22-9) faces No. 10 Buffalo (23-9) in the first game of a doubleheader at 4:30.
UConn is looking for its 12th straight Final Four appearance and 12th national championship.
"She's been kind of given leeway as to 'Hey, how much do you think you can do and how much are you willing to try to do?'" UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of Samuelson. "Lou said, 'I want to play,' so she's gonna play. She might even tell me when she's going in and when she's coming out and what plays we're running. I don't really care at this point."
Although it was originally a blow for UConn to play the league tournament without Samuelson, who is averaging 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and has 75 3-point field goals, it somehow morphed into a positive.
While Samuelson got rest and treatment, her teammates concocted ways to win without her ... and got progressively better at it.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, a 6-4 freshman center, started the four games in Samuelson's absence. She averaged 5.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks during that time, her finest effort coming in an AAC tournament first-round victory over East Carolina when she finished with 17 rebounds and five blocks.
Senior Napheesa Collier averaged 28.3 points and 13.0 rebounds per game in the tournament to be named Most Outstanding Player, while junior Crystal Dangerfield, sophomore Megan Walker and freshman Christyn Williams were also named to the all-tournament team.
Auriemma said at the time and reiterated Thursday that he believes UConn became a more well-rounded team without Samuelson.
"We started out a little rocky going against East Carolina, but we got better every day and we did get some great contributions from our young players," Auriemma said. "With Lou back in the lineup, I think we're better equipped to deal with some things that might happen that maybe we weren't as equipped to deal with before this happened.
"So I do think, in theory, we're a much better team than we were." Samuelson and Collier were the two players to represent UConn on the dais Thursday.
Samuelson smiled when addressing her friendship with Collier and said that the duo received a "touching message" from former UConn great Breanna Stewart, telling them to kick everyone's butt.
"It just shows no matter if you leave UConn, it feels like an army always coming out to get everyone," Samuelson said of the crowd of alums who support the Huskies.
Samuelson was to the point, at first, however, when asked if she'll play Friday.
"Absolutely. I feel good. I've been doing more and more every day and so that's where I'm at right now," she said. "... It's pretty rough to be sitting out at the end of your senior year, but I'm very lucky to be getting another chance to play."
She later detailed that she's felt good physically at practice with the exception of trying to get back into game shape and also that she's learned from watching her teammates from the sideline.
Now, she's eager to have an impact on the court again.
"Now (Olivia) has the confidence and there is always some type of blessing with everything and that was something really good that came out of watching the team and the way we played in that tournament," Samuelson said. "... I have had a lot of experience playing and being out there again to play with Phee and Crystal ... our chemistry is pretty good, so I am excited to get back out there."