The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Huskies prepared for biggest test to date
Nelson-Ododa, UConn host No. 2 S. Carolina
Olivia Nelson-Ododa has a long memory and a way of carrying a chip on her shoulder. Don’t think for a second she’s forgotten about the last time her Huskies faced South Carolina.
Circle back to last February: The Gamecocks, ranked No. 1 at the time, outmuscled, outplayed and overwhelmed UConn. The Huskies managed just two points in the first quarter, and never really put up a fight in a 70-52 defeat — their first loss to South Carolina in nine tries.
Nelson-Ododa, who had a modest 10 points and nine rebounds that night, still feels some personal responsibility for how things turned out.
“I definitely take this matchup pretty personal, especially from what happened last year,” the junior said Sunday on a Zoom call. “I don’t take that lightly, especially how the game unfolded. This year I feel like it’s more personal.”
South Carolina and UConn will meet again Monday, this time in Storrs, this time — very likely — ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country.
The 6-foot-5 Nelson-Ododa has struggled at times this season, but rebounded — literally and figuratively — in Friday’s win over Marquette, and is in a “pretty good place” as she prepares to go toe to toe with All-American center Aliyah Boston.
“It’s a lot. It’s a lot for Liv, but she’s ready for it,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “This is a big time for her.”
As for Boston, no one, Auriemma said, has played better in the post this season. The 6-5 sophomore, and former UConn target, is second on the No. 2 Gamecocks in scoring (13.7) and leads them in rebounding (11.3) and blocked shots (2.9). As a team, South Carolina ranks second nationally
with 50.3 boards per game.
How will Nelson-Ododa and the No. 3 Huskies fare? Auriemma is eager to find out one way or the other, especially now that they seem to have found some momentum after a series of stops and starts.
The Huskies (13-1) didn’t open their season until Dec. 12 after pausing team activities due to a positive COVID-19 test. They then ramped up quickly, playing five games in 11 days.
But after a win over DePaul on Dec. 29, the Huskies played just twice more over the next two weeks.
“You need a bunch of games — two to three games a week for a stretch of time — to feel like you’re in game mode,” Auriemma said. “I don’t care how much you’re practicing. We weren’t, and we didn’t know how to dig down deep and get stops.
“And then when we did and took the lead, we just allowed things to happen to us that, not being in those situations, we just didn’t handle them very well. Since then, I think there’s been a different approach by certain individuals on the team, and there’s been an approach by the team as a whole.”
Auriemma has seen his freshmen grow immensely since their loss to Arkansas on Jan. 28, especially guards Paige Bueckers and Nika Muhl and forward Aaliyah Edwards.
Bueckers has emerged into one of the best players in the country. Her impact has been profound. She’s scored at least 20 points in four straight games, and had 30 or more in the last two. Incredibly, she’s 19 of 25 from the floor during that stretch.
“That point guard leadership cannot be understated,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “Losing Crystal Dangerfield, and this is nothing against Crystal, they probably upgraded in Paige because she does so many things with the ball. They’re better this year than they were last year, obviously.
“They’ve got a lot more depth. She’s able to do anything she wants out there on the floor. She’s selfless, but she’s scoring at an incredibly efficient rate.”
Muhl has developed a strong chemistry with Bueckers, and has overcome a preseason foot injury to become a reliable starter. And Edwards has complemented NelsonOdoda in the post with her physicality.
“Games like (Monday’s) are huge,” Auriemma said, regarding his freshmen. “If we win and play great, it’s a huge confidence-builder for them, knowing that they can do that. If we play great and don’t win, that’s still something to maybe build on. The big games are coming up in March, and this is kind of a preview of what those games may be like.”