When Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson walked off the court inside Amelie Arena Friday night, they did so as the most prolific pair of classmates in UConn women’s basketball history.
Their senior seasons didn’t end the way they hoped, but the 81-76 loss to Notre Dame in the national semifinal didn’t take away from the record-breaking level of success they’ve had in four years at Connecticut. They led UConn through the highs and lows of this season, stepping up in critical moments and becoming leaders for whom teammates desperately wanted to win a national title.
“For me mostly, this weekend, this NCAA tournament, really has been about these two guys sitting next to me here in the sense that when you have two seniors who have accomplished everything that they’ve accomplished in their four years at Connecticut, every kid in America wants to be rewarded by going to the Final Four,” coach Geno Auriemma had said on Thursday while sitting in an interview room aside his two stars.
"Who doesn’t? Every kid in America wants to win a national championship. Who doesn’t want to win a national championship?
“You can’t say that some kids deserve it more than others, because that’s not fair. But when you write down all the questions and you say, ‘Why do these two deserve to be here?’ You can’t find a reason to say, ‘Well, they don’t.’ So for me, it’s all about the fact that regardless of how it goes, these two are ending their careers exactly where it needs to end. I’m really, really, really thankful for that ... I really am.”
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Samuelson and Collier did all they could to bring another national championship to UConn, but fell just shy of their ultimate goal. They finished their careers with one national title and a combined 4,743 points, the highest for a pair of classmates in school history.
The best friends landed in UConn’s record books together multiple times, both finishing in the top five on the all-time scoring list, top 10 in career scoring average and top 10 in field goals made. Collier finished her career with the third-highest field goal percentage in program history, and landed in the top five in rebounds and top 10 in blocks. Samuelson made the second-most 3s, as well as making the top five in free throw percentage and top 10 in 3-point percentage.
Not only were Collier and Samuelson dominant players, but they were also key in helping UConn’s young players come into their own this season. Samuelson stepped up as the vocal leader, while Collier made it her mission to help Megan Walker and Olivia Nelson-Ododa better understand their roles.
“Off the court they’ve been so great to me and Liv," freshman Christyn Williams said. "They’ve been our mentors and helped us a lot through our freshman year. On the court they were just the leaders on our team, so I learned a lot from them. They worked so hard.”
The senior duo worked harder than ever to make up for the overall inexperience of the team. Either Samuelson or Collier led UConn in scoring in 32 games and rebounding in 33. Collier recorded 25 double-doubles, including five games of 30 or more points, which earned her the Katrina McClain Award and landed her on the AP All-America first team. She led the Huskies in scoring and rebounding, averaging 20.8 and 10.8.
Samuelson diversified her game to meet the Huskies’ needs, rebounding and getting into the lane more often instead of relying on outside shots. She recorded six of her seven career double-doubles this season. She finished the season while fighting through a lingering back injury, pushing the Huskies into the Final Four with a 29-point performance in the Elite Eight against Louisville. Samuelson was named to the AP All-America third team, as well as making the WBCA Coaches’ All-America team along with Collier
“That’s my best friend," Samuelson said of Collier. "These four years have been amazing. It’s pretty sad we’re not going to get to play again and that we weren’t able to pull it out for UConn Nation.”
Samuelson and Collier are coming to terms with the fact that they may not play together again, but they’ll always cherish the four years they got to spend in Storrs. As Collier said earlier in the season, she’s more worried about the connections she’s made and impressions she left on her teammates than all of her records and awards.
“It has meant so much for me,” Collier said of playing for UConn. "It’s changed me as a basketball player, as a person. It’s helped me grow and build good relationships by being here. And the coaching I have gotten from the staff has been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for anything else. I’m so grateful to everyone who has been part of this.”
Kelli Stacy can be reached at kstacy@courant.com.
