Adamec: Westbrook feeling stronger every day

[UConnCat]

Journal Inquirer

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[Sluconn Husky]

That's a nifty piece. Interior play will be a huge key to get by teams like Stanford and SC, but Westbrook might be the x-factor player. When she was off last year she was a non-factor, but when she was at her best she looked like an easy all-american.

And the more I listen to her the more I think she could be a coach down the line. She gets it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

If E stays healthy, and it takes a lot of work on her part to do so, that will be a big plus for this still young squad. I hope she has a great year. I admire her work ethic and how she carries herself.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Storrs — Last year's seven freshmen, including National Player of the Year Paige Bueckers, referred to Evina Westbrook as "Momma E," an affectionate tribute to Westbrook's leadership role as a captain and confidante for the members of the UConn women's basketball team.

It turns out Bueckers and Co. are somewhat territorial about the nickname for Westbrook, so this year's freshmen had to come up with something different. They went with "Grandma E" for the 23-year-old redshirt senior guard.

"I'm trying to change that narrative," Westbrook said Friday inside the lobby of the Werth Champions Center, where UConn was about to practice for the first time this season. "I'm cool with 'Momma E,' but 'Grandma E,' I'm not sold on it yet. I just, I'm not really sold on 'Grandma' yet. I'm not that old."

"She's accepted it and I think she loves it now," freshman Azzi Fudd said. "She won't admit it ... but she answers to it."

Captain and confidante, UConn's Evina Westbrook back for another season

Storrs — Last year's seven freshmen, including National Player of the Year Paige Bueckers, referred to Evina Westbrook as "Momma E," an affectionate tribute to Westbrook's leadership role as a captain...

www.theday.com

 

[Waquoit]

Like Williams, it will make a huge difference if she's healthy this year. It's almost like having a pro on the team.

 

[HHH]

Storrs — Last year's seven freshmen, including National Player of the Year Paige Bueckers, referred to Evina Westbrook as "Momma E," an affectionate tribute to Westbrook's leadership role as a captain and confidante for the members of the UConn women's basketball team.

It turns out Bueckers and Co. are somewhat territorial about the nickname for Westbrook, so this year's freshmen had to come up with something different. They went with "Grandma E" for the 23-year-old redshirt senior guard.

"I'm trying to change that narrative," Westbrook said Friday inside the lobby of the Werth Champions Center, where UConn was about to practice for the first time this season. "I'm cool with 'Momma E,' but 'Grandma E,' I'm not sold on it yet. I just, I'm not really sold on 'Grandma' yet. I'm not that old."

"She's accepted it and I think she loves it now," freshman Azzi Fudd said. "She won't admit it ... but she answers to it."

My wife's grandmother was "Nana B" to our kids growing up. I was about to suggest that perhaps Evina would prefer being "Nana E" to the freshman Huskies, but then I realized: There will always be only one @HuskyNan ... am I right, fellow BoneYarders?

 

[Inthepaint]

With most of the attention focused elsewhere, we seem to overlook "E's" leadership role. She, more than anyone else, took Geno's "Rule #1-
if your shots aren't falling, find something else to contribute to the team"-to heart.
When Evina was on-maybe cause she was feeling good physically-she was really harassing on defense, coming out of the scrum under the glass with the ball, getting the ball down the court in a big hurry. But, even after her shots were falling, she kept it up.
I like how she worked with the freshmen at the end of some of the blowout games. Sort of like an assistant coach, only on the court and in uniform. Although she was unavailable to play in 2019-2020, she must have soaked up some irreplaceable experience watching and learning. It showed.
I see her starting this year, but maybe with fewer overall minutes as some of the"youngsters" pick up where she left off. But look for her to be out there at crunch time in the non-conference games and the tourneys.

 

[TheGOAT23]

I’m glad that Evina didn’t play during the 2019-20 season because that would have been a complete waste of a year. Also, she wasn’t fully healed then… as we saw during the 2020-21 season. During her freshman season at Tennessee, I always wondered why UCONN never recruited her. I think that Geno stated that he didn’t think that she would have came to UCONN.

 

[oldude]

Evina is quite simply one of the most versatile and talented players in college basketball. She also possesses an exceptional basketball IQ and tremendous leadership ability.

She’s had a long journey to get to this season through a difficult 2 years at TN, a redshirt year and two surgeries which kept her at less than 100% last year. Despite that, Evina was an absolute revelation last season.

I can not wait to see what a healthy Evina Westbrook is capable of this season.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I’m glad that Evina didn’t play during the 2019-20 season because that would have been a complete waste of a year. Also, she wasn’t fully healed then… as we saw during the 2020-21 season. During her freshman season at Tennessee, I always wondered why UCONN never recruited her. I think that Geno stated that he didn’t think that she would have came to UCONN.

That's part of the reason why I was shaking my head at so many Uconn fans being upset about her not receiving a waiver, or for that matter wondering why Geno requested one. After the initial blowup it was reported she had some health issues to address and that year off helped her to heal. I liked her from day 1 at UT and was impressed by her. She didn't look like a point guard that she was trying to become but she had talent. She likely needed some time to mature and it sounds as though she has.

 

[Alydar]

That's part of the reason why I was shaking my head at so many Uconn fans being upset about her not receiving a waiver, or for that matter wondering why Geno requested one. After the initial blowup it was reported she had some health issues to address and that year off helped her to heal. I liked her from day 1 at UT and was impressed by her. She didn't look like a point guard that she was trying to become but she had talent. She likely needed some time to mature and it sounds as though she has.

She always impressed me as a smart player and what really impressed me was her nailing those 3's late in the game at Tenn. Those along with Bueckers' 3 won the game. Clutch.