How each Husky can contribute in NCAA Tournament
For the first time since early December, the UConn women’s basketball team has depth. It has a rotation that goes nine deep, with players delivering their best basketball of the season at the right time.
The Huskies returned Paige Bueckers, last year’s national player of the year, two weeks ago and are looking the strongest they’ve been all season.
UConn enters next week’s NCAA Tournament on a 10-game win streak after winning last week’s Big East Tournament.
Here’s a look at what each available player is bringing to the team and how they could improve during March Madness:
PAIGE BUECKERS
How she’s helping: Bueckers has brought her familiar sense of controlled efficiency to UConn’s offense since returning. Despite her minutes remaining low due to her continued recovery after surgery in December, she’s jumped back into her role as team leader. She’s dishing out assists (like the half-court long ball she tossed to Christyn Williams against Providence) and making plays when she can (Bueckers had a team-high 16 points against Georgetown in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals).
What she needs to do:
UConn coach Geno Auriemma said the sophomore still has her good days and bad days. She’s still taking things slow and not overextending herself. Going into the tournament, Bueckers needs to do whatever she can to stay healthy. The Huskies are strong without her, but she is a game-changer.
AZZI FUDD
How she’s helping: After coming back from a December foot injury, Fudd has become the standout freshman everyone anticipated. She’s a dangerous shooter and a quick defender. She’s also the Huskies’ best outside threat with a teamleading 43.7 3-point field goal percentage.
What she needs to do:
Opponents have caught on to Fudd. They’ve planned their scouting reports around
stopping the freshman often with double-teams and sometimes eve triple-teaming her on defense or taking away her perimeter options. Fudd needs to continue to show her all-around game during these moments. Whether that’s honing in on defense, distributing the ball or being more consistent on the boards.
CHRISTYN WILLIAMS
How she’s helping: Williams is showing once again she’s a different player in the postseason. She’s more aggressive, more consistent, and looks more confident overall. The Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player leads with 14.6 points per game.
What she needs to do: Outside from doing exactly what she’s already doing, the senior could bring a little more focus to defense. While she’s put more attention on grabbing steals since the beginning of the season, Williams should have even more of a difference-maker on defense every game.
EVINA WESTBROOK
How she’s helping: Westbrook is playing the best basketball of her UConn career since she began coming off the bench. She’s been disruptive on both ends of the court while bringing energy from the bench.
What she needs to do:
Become a most consistent scorer. Westbrook never shies away from taking shots, but it can take time for her shots to drop. While she leads with 105 assists, UConn could take advantage of her becoming more of an offensive threat.
OLIVIA NELSON-ODODA
How she’s helping: Nelson-Ododa has become a dependable inside threat for UConn over the past four years. She repeatedly uses her length and aggressiveness down low, resulting in blocks, rebounds and loose balls. She has also become a strong passer from the post.
What she needs to do: Expand her offensive game outside of put-back layups. Nelson-Ododa doesn’t need to be the go-to offensive threat but a little more focus in creating her own shots would help spread the Huskies’ offense.
NIKA MÜHL
How she’s helping: The Big East Defensive Player of the Year is UConn’s most disruptive force on defense. She grabs steals unlike the others and thrives in a fast break transition.
What she needs to do: While Auriemma has said that Mühl’s OK with not scoring, it would help if she could contribute more to balance the offense. Out of UConn’s nine-player rotation, she has a team-low 4.1 points per game.
AALIYAH EDWARDS
How she’s helping: Edwards has completely turned her season around the past few weeks and she played her best basketball of the year in the Big East Tournament.
What she needs to do:
The sophomore needs to continue to be consistent after a season when she was not dependable. She has the size and skill to become as forceful as Nelson-Ododa in the paint, and needs to focus on doing that every game.
CAROLINE DUCHARME
How she’s helping: Ducharme was given the room to step up and show just how skillful she can be after Bueckers went down. The freshman has shown she is not only a dependable scorer but she can rise to the occasion in big moments (see UConn’s last-second shot at DePaul in January).
What she needs to do:
We’ve seen that Ducharme is capable of crazy, clutch blocks and steals but that’s not always present every game. Whether it’s because of her new role coming off the bench or spending time sitting out with a head injury, the freshman needs to become more consistent on defense.
DORKA JUHÁSZ
How she’s helping: Juhász has become an important player off the bench for UConn. She is a demanding presence under the basket and is second to NelsonOdoda in total rebounds (165) and boards per game (5.9).
What she needs to do: The graduate transfer has yet to decide whether she will stay in Storrs for her final collegiate season. With the possibility of her professional career just around the corner, Juhász needs to become more of an offensive presence and use her length to generate steals inside the paint.
PIATH GABRIEL
How she’s helping: Gabriel has the ability to come off the bench late in games and continue UConn’s momentum. She’s shown growth in her ability to score and grab boards over the past season.
What she needs to do:
Gabriel needs to put more focus on looking for open teammates and attempting blocks.
AMARI DEBERRY
How she’s helping: Auriemma brought DeBerry in more consistently in the final few weeks of the regular season. She’s a fresh set of legs for his post players and has shown more and more confidence throughout the season.
What she needs to do:
The freshman needs to have more of a presence as a rebounder if she wants to play more next season. She has nine rebounds in 76 minutes over 13 games.