The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Huskies rout Vanguard in exhibition opener
STORRS — It was akin to a test drive, an opportunity for UConn head coach Geno Auriemma to see what parts of his team he can count on when the real race begins in a week.
Unsurprisingly, the early returns were mostly favorable.
Katie Lou Samuelson and her surgically repaired ankle looked strong and sturdy. Napheesa Collier was a difference-maker in the post. Crystal Dangerfield was a reliable ball-handler. And Christyn Williams, the dynamic guard making her Huskies debut, had spurts where she played like a senior.
Overall, there was a lot to like about UConn’s exhibition opener against Vanguard. The Huskies destroyed the No. 1 NAIA team in the country 96-30 Sunday afternoon before a crowd of 8,209 at Gampel Pavilion.
“Every exhibition game is the same,” Auriemma said, doing his part to put the day in perspective. “We’re going to play a team that we’re going to beat by a lot. You can’t go by the final score, so you try to go by, you know, how’d it look? What was the feel of it?
“Those first five, six, seven minutes, considering it was the first time out, a lot of good stuff was happening. The three players I expect the most from, Lou, Pheesa and Crystal, were completely in charge.”
The No. 2 team in the preseason AP poll ripped off 25 straight points to start the game. On offense, they were patient and poised, shooting 61 percent in the first half and 52 percent for the game. On defense, they were aggressive and opportunistic, forcing their overwhelmed opponent into 17 turnovers.
“Some of the things we did [well] is stuff we’ve been working on in practice — trying to get out in transition and trying to just push the ball and … get the right shots,” said Samuelson, who matched Collier with a game-high 26 points.
The first of two exhibition games on this year’s schedule reaffirmed the fact that UConn
will be able to score plenty. What it didn’t do, however, was alleviate any of the concerns Auriemma has had about his team’s depth.
Of the 96 points scored by UConn, only 16 came from the bench. The team’s backups were largely ineffective, even getting outscored 15-9 over the final quarter.
“There’s a big gap between a certain group we play and then the next group,” Auriemma said. “It’s too early in the season to make any assumptions, but that second group — anybody coming off the bench, let’s put it that way — has to feel like they can contribute something because we’re going to need them at some point.”
Kyla Irwin was the first Husky to come off the bench, doing so late in the first quarter for Megan Walker. Next came Mikayla Coombs, who is competing to be the backup point guard. And then there was 6-foot-4 forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who produced five points and 11 rebounds over 20 minutes.
“I thought she did a good job in the back,” Collier said of Nelson-Ododa. “She fouled a little bit trying to block shots. … She’s so tall and she’s really athletic. She needs to keep being strong and finish.”
The team’s other prized freshman, Williams, asserted herself early. Starting in the backcourt alongside Dangerfield and Samuelson, she shook off some pregame jitters by scoring seven of her 10 points in the first quarter.
“I was really nervous, very nervous,” Williams said. “But after the first two minutes, I was really comfortable.” Samuelson also admitted to being nervous, though for different reasons. It was her first game since undergoing surgery on her left ankle on April 12. In 24 minutes, she recorded 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals.
“It was definitely another step,” she said. “Just actually playing is a whole different thing. I was a little nervous at the beginning. Getting out there and playing is much more fun than practice. I think we were all enjoying it.”
NICE TO MEET YOU
Two prized Class of 2019 recruits, Archbishop Mitty High School (Calif.) guard Haley Jones and Worcester Academy (Mass.) forward Aliyah Boston, were at the game as part of their official visits. They sat alongside Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, the top-ranked players in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
MAKING HER MARK
In her first start as a Husky, Walker (11 points on 4-of-10 shooting) pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. Auriemma praised Walker’s ability to crash the boards.
“Some people, without being told or without any particular work on it, they just gravitate to what they’re good at,” Auriemma said. “She’s good at, ‘Go get the ball.’ Again, that’s always been a source of angst for us coaches, is out-rebounding. We know Pheesa’s going to rebound, and that’s not enough.”