The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Huskies, Cardinals renew rivalry for season start
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sitting in the stands in mid-November three years ago, Katie Lou Samuelson, the newly committed prize recruit for the UConn women’s basketball team, figured more trips to Stanford’s Maples Pavilion would be in her future.
Samuelson was in attendance the last time the mighty UConn team lost a regular-season game, watching her older sisters Bonnie and Karlie help the host, Stanford, score an overtime victory. While Bonnie would be graduating, Katie Lou was fired up about the possibility of squaring off with Karlie and making their own history in the compelling UConn-Stanford rivalry.
However, Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer decided against continuing the series after seven regularseason meetings from 200714.
With the teams set to play in the first game of the Countdown to Columbus event Sunday at Nationwide Arena (1:30 p.m., ESPN), Samuelson had mixed emotions about finally being able to play against Stanford.
“I was really bummed because even when I committed, we were positive that we were going to play each other no matter what,” Samuelson said. “I don’t think I found out until I was here, maybe I was in summer school when we found out that we weren’t playing each other anymore. It was definitely a bummer because we knew that the only way we could possibly play each other was in the tournament and it didn’t line up. It’s kind of more of a bummer that we’re playing them now, because those two years we missed out, they were the only two years (the teams didn’t play), but I’m excited to play them and most excited to get the season started.”
The teams came close to meeting a season ago, but losses by both squads in the Final Four prevented a Samuelson-vs.-Samuelson national championship game.
UConn’s Samuelson has plenty of memories from the last meeting when her sisters combined for 22 points in Stanford’s 88-86 overtime victory.
“I was wearing a UConn shirt; I was a little biased
because it was so exciting how well Bonnie and Karlie were doing, so I was a little torn,” Samuelson said. “There was a little bias toward my sisters, especially just leading up to that game. I didn’t think they thought that was going to happen, so when it all did, it was a little crazy.”
Kia Nurse, who had nine points and three rebounds in 20 minutes before fouling out, is the only active UConn player to play in that game. Kaylee Johnson is the only holdover on the Stanford side.
Although Stanford lost to Ohio State by 21 points in Friday’s season opener, UConn coach Geno Auriemma isn’t quite sure what to expect as the Huskies look for their 22nd consecutive season-opening victory.
“Excited and apprehensive at the same time,” Auriemma said of his emotions. “Two years ago we went out to Ohio State and it was unbelievable. It (UConn’s 44-point win) totally blew my mind; I couldn’t believe what I was watching. Last year, Florida State, ‘We can handle this,’ and we needed a blocked shot to win the game.”
What Auriemma is fairly confident about is seeing is a much more complete player when Samuelson steps on the court.
Nearly half of Samuelson’s made baskets in her first two seasons have come via 3-pointers. Samuelson has been working on using her 6-foot-3 frame to post up and also has been running the floor better and more frequently in the preseason than at any point in her first two seasons.
“I want to be able to contribute in any way I can,” said Samuelson, who needs three 3-pointers to become the 11th UConn player with 200 in her career.