Walker Emerging as Huskies’ Future Star
The Story: Sophomore Megan Walker has hit her stride as of late and finished with her second double-double in four games when she had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the now-No. 2-ranked Huskies’ 93-57 win against UCF in Hartford on Sunday.
POTENTIAL MET: Walker was the top-ranked recruit in the nation in 2017 when she signed with the Huskies over Texas, but her freshman year was met with remarkable inconsistency. She played 15.9 minutes off the bench but did not appear in six games. She reached double figures in scoring seven times but did not score a single point in six others.
Walker acknowledged in November that her first season was difficult and that she knew she was better than she showed. This year, she’s scoring 12.9 points per game, tied with Crystal Dangerfield for third on the team, and has upped that average to 16.1 points a game in seven AAC games thus far. (Of course, it helps when you outscore the entire opponent, as she did with her remarkable 34-point outburst against Tulane on Jan. 16.)
TAKING HER SHOTS: One thing that has allowed Walker to thrive is the amount of attention opponents pay to Crystal Dangerfield, Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier. With Dangerfield running the offense, Samuelson spotting up on the wing and Collier making her home inside — and all three drawing significant attention because they’re among the best players in the country — Walker can fill in the gaps.
She has also been similarly successful with that approach to rebounding, as her average of 7.3 rebounds per game in the conference is second only to Collier’s 9.1 in those seven outings. She used to love rebounding in high school, and as she has found out recently, crashing the boards is a recipe for scoring. On five occasions against the Knights, she grabbed a rebound and put up another shot, and even though she scored only twice in those situations, she has learned the benefits of resilience.
TOUGH LOVE: Geno Auriemma is the master of the backhanded compliment, and for an indication of how much Walker has improved, consider what he said about her after the win against the Knights:
“[Chris Dailey] made a good point at one point in the first half. She said, ‘Meg needs a breather.’ That’s never been said before ever on our bench. Meg doesn’t go hard enough to need a breather, so the fact that she was really going today at both ends of the floor is a good sign. She’s come a long way in that regard.”
THE FUTURE? With Samuelson and Collier set to graduate this spring, the scoring load seems likely to fall upon Walker’s shoulders each of the next two seasons. These games have been valuable in not only showing Geno that she is capable of handling that responsibility, but also in showing Walker herself that she can play and thrive at such a level. There are only two marquee games left this season, with the meeting at No. 3 Louisville on Thursday and a game against No. 16 South Carolina on Feb. 11, so Walker will have time to continue to develop and succeed.
Alterique Gilbert Misses Practice
The Story: Point guard Alterique Gilbert missed practice yesterday afternoon as he underwent X-rays on his surgically repaired right shoulder, which he injured in the win over Wichita State on Saturday.
FINGERS CROSSED: Gilbert has a well-known history of shoulder injuries, and having already undergone three surgeries in such a short period of time makes us worry. He left Saturday’s win after getting hit on a screen and screamed in pain. He didn’t return to the game, and afterward, Dan Hurley said he would be OK.
Now that he missed practice on Monday, we’re more concerned. It’s one thing to get the shoulder looked at, but it’s another thing to sit out and get it looked at again. Maybe the Huskies are being ultra-cautious, and why wouldn’t they? Still, we would much rather see Gilbert on the court and not visiting shoulder specialists.
IF HE IS OUT: Gilbert is averaging 13.0 points and 3.8 assists per game this season and has been one of their better 3-point shooters. The Huskies have played well in the backcourt with Jalen Adams off the ball and Christian Vital on the wing. The Huskies don’t have a lot of bench options and one would likely squeeze Tarin Smith into a starting spot.
We should have a much more clear idea of Gilbert’s prognosis later today. The Huskies will next play on Thursday, when they face UCF in Orlando.
Morning Read
GRIFFIN GOOD TO GO: The lone player in the women’s basketball team’s incoming freshman class, Aubrey Griffin, returned from an ankle injury on Friday night. (Hartford Courant)
SAMUELSON STILL ON TOP: Guard Katie Lou Samuelson is still expected to go to the Las Vegas Aces with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft this spring. (High Post Hoops)
COLLIER RECOGNIZED: The American named Napheesa Collier its player of the week for the second time this season and the sixth time in her career. (TheAmerican.org)
VITAL INFORMATION: Christian Vital was named to The American’s honor roll after he scored a game-high 21 points in the 80-60 win over Wichita State on Saturday. (TheAmerican.org)
HUSKIES SNAG TRANSFER: Wide receiver Ardell Brown, the all-time leading receiver at Division II Seton Hill, will join UConn as a graduate transfer next season. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Brown has been clocked at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash. (This Is UConn Country)
BUS IS PARKED: The men’s hockey team begins a five-game homestand and could pick up a bit of momentum on its stagnant season tonight against Sacred Heart. (UConnHuskies.com)
OLT JOINS TWINS: Former UConn third baseman Mike Olt, who has not appeared in the majors since he played for the Chicago White Sox in 2015, has signed a minor-league contract with the Minnesota Twins (MLBTradeRumors.com)
