It's hard being a college freshman. I know we tend to look back on college nostalgically, but it really can be a big change. Brianna's a young woman who went through that change and did so coming from a small-ish community in Georgia to Connecticut. Like with many of us, she had something she'd wanted in her life to that point, but was a bit overwhelmed once she got it. It can be hard to go from being a big fish in a medium pond (she was Gatorade POY in Georgia, remember) to being in an environment where everyone is really, really good. I also got a sense from her body language last year that is she is very prideful, so if Geno chewed her out, she didn't like it and didn't process it in the way it was intended. Ultimately, she has been able to channel that pride in a productive way and take ownership of ensuring that the thing she thought she wanted ends up being what she imagined it would be. Her effort and energy are outstanding, and I'm really excited to see her push herself, as well as players like Morgan and Moriah (who now are behind her in the rotation). Seeing her live for the first time this year last night, I was really impressed by the way she just competed on every possession, on both ends of the court. Her confidence is growing, as is her teammates' confidence in her. And Geno's. Prior to the season, I thought it would be nice but not necessary if the positive stories published about her were true. Now? I think if UConn wins it all this year, she will have played a critical role in that accomplishment.
