Williams needs to produce in a big way for UConn

Christyn Williams was the 2017 Gatorade National Player of the Year. There has been so much Paige this, so much Paige that, maybe we forget it at times.

Maybe we shouldn’t be too eager to turn the page.

Megan Walker won the Gatorade award as the nation’s best high school player the year before Williams did, and Williams had to play a complementary role with Walker and Crystal Dangerfield during their senior seasons last year

With Bueckers arriving to much hoopla and proving, yes, she may even be better than advertised, much of the laser focus has been on the freshman from Minnesota or the young team’s overall development. There’s a temptation to pull that laser focus off the junior from Arkansas. That would be a mistake. If UConn is to make a run at another Final Four, a run at a 12th national title, Williams must produce — in a big way.

Yes, Olivia Nelson-Ododa has to prove her mettle in the post. Yes, the team has a few more scoring options than last year, indicative in six players hitting double figures Saturday in a 106-59

Williams, the Big East preseason player of the year, scored 17 points during that stretch, four shy of her season-high, and hit 24 early in the third. She was closing in on her careerbest of 28 (Dec. 3, 2018 against Notre Dame), but sat most of the fourth quarter with the lead comfortably in hand.

“Definitely (Williams brought) a lot of energy tonight,” Nelson-Ododa said. “She was in her zone.”

On the other end, the Huskies (4-0) forced the Xavier into 14 turnovers in the first quarter and 25 for the game.

The Musketeers (3-2) trailed by as many as 37 at halftime. And it might’ve been more had Auriemma not opted to drop into a zone defense to begin the second quarter.

“We did a great job in our press defense,” Williams said. “We got a lot of steals, got a chance to get out in transition. That fueled our fire.”

She added: “Personally, it gives me a lot of energy. I love to get out in transition early on, it helps me the rest of the game.”

Saturday was UConn’s fourth game in eight days, a much-welcomed break from the monotony of practice. The Huskies handled that busy season-opening stretch with ease, and now have just one more game remaining (Tuesday at Villanova) before a weeklong break for the holidays. Their first contest after

Christmas is Dec. 30 at Marquette.

BACK TO THE BOARDS

As good as Nelson-Ododa was offensively against Creighton, she was equally as quiet on the boards. She had only two rebounds, none on the defensive end.

“After realizing that the other night, I definitely put the emphasis on myself realizing that’s something I need to produce whenever I’m playing,” Nelson-Ododa said following her 11-rebound performance against Xavier. “Xavier is a very rebound-based team. They love to crash the boards. … For the entire team tonight, that was a huge emphasis.”

SHARING THE BALL

UConn matched its season-high with 26 assists, nine of which came from Bueckers. She had six in the first quarter alone.

“We’re able to use the whole court,” Auriemma said. “We get rid of the ball quickly. We have a team that’s willing to pass the ball. That’s somewhat unusual in today’s day and age. They want to pass it. For the most part, we’re a pretty good passing team.

NOTES: Before Saturday, the Huskies last scored 100 points on Feb. 26 (10558 at Cincinnati). ... Former UConn standout Kia Nurse announced the Huskies’ starting lineup on the videoboard.