Dom Amore: Nika Muhl lights the fire, and the UConn women’s basketball team is heating up at the right time

[SVCBeercats]

Dom Amore: Nika Muhl lights the fire, and the UConn women’s basketball team is heating up at the right time

The calendar has turned to the month the UConn women’s basketball program has dominated for so long. The Huskies have dominated it with talent, dominated with coaching and dominated with that…

www.courant.com

“Some people are [built for it],” Geno Auriemma said. “Nika has more confidence than game. There are things she thinks she can do on a basketball court that she can’t do, but she doesn’t know that and doesn’t care. So her confidence level is, ‘I can do anything on that basketball court,’ and the bigger the game, the bigger the moment, the more pressure, it doesn’t faze her one bit.”

Tristen Newton of the men’s team got 12 in a game and teammate Nahiem Alleyne told him he “played like Nika Muhl.”
“That was a nice compliment,” Muhl said.

“So if you have a leader like that on your team,” Auriemma said, “it does rub off on the rest of your players. If she’s running out of the tunnel and you’re following her, that’s a pretty good person to follow into what’s coming next.”

 

[BRS24]

I loved the comparison Geno made b/w Nika and Shea -

"The 2023 Nancy Lieberman Award finalist had no problem getting where she wanted to go against Marquette guard Mackenzie Hare. But before going up for the layup, she smacked Hare and sent the freshman reeling out of bounds — just for good measure or for sending a message for next year. Referee Mark Resch made the easy foul call against Mühl, who stared at Hare, smiled, put her hands to her face, clapped her hands once, and ran back to play defense. The players on the bench laughed.

“She didn't have to have an offensive foul on that kid today underneath the basket,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said with a shake of his head. “She had the layup. But that was a classic Shea Ralph move. ‘Drive here, I could just shoot a layup. But you know what? It won’t be as much fun unless I whack this kid.’ That’s just how some people are like that. What can I tell you?”

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Nika plays with a "hit-man's" mentality!
"Hey girl's jump on my back we're kicking butts and taking names!"
or
"Follow me I know the way!"

 

[#12in21]

With reinforcements now available Nika won't think twice about giving anybody some payback that tries to whack Lou or Azzi. They'll know not to try it again and if they need a reminder Aaliyah will be staring right down at them as they drag themselves off the floor.

 

[Veteran]

It was a superb game. A classic, vintage UCONN type game. And Nika is such a classic, vintage UCONN type player, all grit, guts and intensity. We are so lucky to have her and the rest of these wonderful players.

And the Ines shot was the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae. The bench reaction couldn't rival the unbridled joy of the Brianna Pulido shot from 2016, but it was still pretty darn great. And Alliyah lauding Ines after the game ended with Ines smiling from ear to ear. How could any talented kid not want to come and bathe in the UCONN culture for the best 4 years of her life?