WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UCONN SENIOR DAY
The UConn women’s basketball team will cap its regular season Sunday against Providence at Gampel Pavilion, honoring the program’s seniors before the game.
All four players — Christyn Williams, Olivia NelsonOdoda, Evina Westbrook and Dorka Juhász — are eligible to return for another year after the NCAA awarded an added year to players because of the COVID-19 disruption. But only Juhász, a graduate student, is a possibility to return.
Williams and NelsonOdoda arrived in 2018 as two of the best recruits in the country. They have played in the Final Four twice and enter March of their senior seasons in pursuit of their first title.
Here’s a look at the four players who will be honored Sunday at Senior Day:
CHRISTYN WILLIAMS
5-foot-11 guard from Little Rock, Arkansas
This year: Averaging 14.9 points in 23 games, all starts. … Missed three games with COVID in January. …. Scored a career-high 31 points against Minnesota on Nov. 20 in the Bahamas. … Has scored double-digit points in 21 games.
Career: Notched her 1,000th career point on Dec 29, 2020. … Averaged 16.3 points in 29 games — all starts — as a junior. … First Team All-Big East as a junior. … Started 31 of 32 games as a sophomore, averaging 15.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. … Had nine games with 20 or more points and 25 in double-digits to earn first-team All-American Athletic Conference. … A starter all of her freshman year when she averaged 11.7 points and shot 49.9% from the field. … First UConn freshman since Breanna Stewart to start her first career game. … Scored 28 points against Notre Dame on Dec. 2, 2018. … Scored 19 points vs. Notre Dame in the Final Four. … Named American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and was named to the AAC All-Freshman team. … Overall, has started 121 of 122 games at UConn.
Before college: The No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2018, and the Gatorade and Naismith National Player of the Year. … Three-time Gatorade Arkansas Player of the Year, led Central Arkansas Christian to a 3-1 record and the state title as she averaged 26.8 points and 10.4 rebounds . ... Chose UConn over South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and UCLA.
OLIVIA NELSON-ODODA
6-foot-5 forward from Winder, Georgia.
This season: Has started 21 of 23 games, missing three because of a groin injury. … Leads UConn with 44 blocks and 7.6 rebounds per game. … Averaging 9.9 points, scored a season-high 19 against Butler on Jan. 12. … Had season-high 18 rebounds against St. John’s on Jan. 23 . ... Scored her 1,000th career point on Jan. 17.
Career: Started 30 games as a junior, averaging 12 points and 7.8 rebounds. … Started 31 of 32 games as a sophomore, when she was second on the team in rebounding (8.5) while averaging 10.9 points. … Ranked fourth in the country with 100 blocks as a sophomore. … Averaged 4.4 points and 3.8 rebounds as a freshman, when she played in all 38 games and started four. … Scored career-high 27 points with 15 rebounds on Dec. 22, 2019, against Oklahoma. … All-Big East second team and co-defensive player of the year in 2021.
Before college: Four-year starter and three-time AllState selection for Winder Barrow High in Georgia. … Ranked as No. 5 recruit in Class of 2018 by ESPN.
EVINA WESTBROOK
6-foot guard from Salem, Oregon
This season: One of two UConn players to appear in every game, starting 14. … Started the first 10 games of the season and 13 of the first 15 before settling into a reserve role. … Averaging 9.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. … Scored seasonhigh 17 points against Marquette on Wednesday. … Has scored in double digits 14 times this season. … Has emerged as a defensive stopper with 14 steals over five games before Friday.
Career: Started all 30 games as a redshirt junior, averaging 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. … Sat out junior season per NCAA transfer rules. … Spent first two seasons at Tennessee, starting all 64 games. … Averaged 14.9 points, 5.3 assists and 3.6 rebounds as a sophomore. … Scored career-high 29 points against Stanford on Dec. 18, 2018. … Averaged 8.4 points and 4.3 assists when she was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, Before college: The 2017 Morgan Wootten and USA Today National Player of the Year for South Salem High. … Ranked as the No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2017 behind future UConn player Megan Walker. … Led her high school to two state titles and was Gatorade Oregon Girls Basketball Player of the Year as a junior and senior.
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DORKA JUHÁSZ
6-foot-5 forward from Pecs, Hungary
This season: Has appeared in 24 games, including 14 starts. … Averaging 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds. … Made first start on Dec. 9 at Georgia Tech, replacing the injured Paige Bueckers. … Scored season-high 22 points on Feb. 11 vs. DePaul. … Had 16 rebounds on Dec. 11 against UCLA. … Missed two games with a foot injury.
Career: Played three seasons at Ohio State, earning first-team All-Big Ten in 2021 and 2020. … Stated 17 games as a junior and was 21st in the country in rebounding (11.1) while averaging 14.6 points. … Scored career-high 27 points against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 10, 2020. … Started 31 games as a sophomore, leading the Buckeyes in scoring (13.2) and rebounding (9.4). … As a sophomore, was one of just three players 6-4 or taller in the country to made at least 40 3-pointers. … Averaged 11.7 points and 9.0 rebounds to earn a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team.
Before college: Played for the PEAC-Pecs Professional Basketball Club, was ranked No. 12 international recruit in the Class of 2018. … Represented Hungary at the 2017 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.