A different type of holiday break
UConn teams stay in Storrs
Evina Westbrook will have Christmas off — no games, no practice — but she and her UConn teammates won’t be going anywhere.
“It (stinks),” the junior guard said. “Christmas, everyone’s going to be home with their families, but at the end of the day, no one was risking coming back to quarantine and missing games.”
Coach Geno Auriemma left it up to his players to decide where they wanted to spend the holiday. Had the team traveled home, they would’ve been required to quarantine upon returning to campus.
“Then from the 26th to whenever there would be no games,” Auriemma said. “You’d take a risk, what if something were to happen while they’re home, and you’re weighing that against, ‘well, how does that make any sense to not have them go home for Christmas?’ ”
But he added: “If you ask them, if it means playing, I’d rather stay here.”
Tuesday’s win over Villanova was the fifth game in 11 days to begin the season for third-ranked UConn, a stretch Auriemma called “grueling.” But now comes
an opportunity to catch up on some much-needed rest.
“We had one off day, on Sunday, but still it’s been a lot of practice, a lot of games,” freshman Paige Bueckers said. “It’s been heavy on our bodies and just our mental state. I think it’s big for us to get this Christmas break off, but at the same time we want to stay in shape.”
Players will remain in Storrs for the holiday, and after three days off resume practice Saturday in preparation for the next order of business — a game against No. 18 DePaul on Dec. 29 at Gampel Pavilion. A team dinner is planned for Christmas, along with a host of games and activities organized by the coaching staff.
The UConn men have similar plans, according to coach Dan Hurley, with a team dinner on Christmas Eve, followed the next day by practice.
“I think it’s going to be a different one because we’re not at home,” said sophomore Anna Makurat, “but it’s going to be a fun Christmas.”
The Huskies are hoping to make the best of their situation, just as they’ve done since their arrival in July.
“We were here for Thanksgiving with each
other, and we pulled it together at the end of the day,” Westbrook said. “We’re a very tight-knit group. … Off the court, we’re around each other 24/7.”
Westbrook, who began her college career at Tennessee, said the team’s chemistry is unlike anything she’s experienced before, and that it’s only gotten stronger through adversity.
“I think that’s one of the things that kept us all mentally sane, really,” Westbrook said of the bond between teammates. “We had a shutdown, had to come back on pause. We’re all on the group chat just laughing, talking about what’s going on about this, about this.”
Auriemma hopes his team can settle into more of a routine once practice resumes, though he’s not sure that’s possible given the disjointed nature of the season. The Huskies’ schedule is ever-evolving, changing on a regular basis as schools juggle logistical and health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t see it getting any better,” he said. “I really don’t. Not with the way games are getting canceled. It’s just going to be a ‘stay light on your feet, be able to roll with the punches,’ and so far we’ve done that.”