Tonight, Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse will suit up for their final regular-season home game. They will likely have two more games at Gampel, a place where they have never lost, during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. But tonight is when we get to look back over their four astonishing years in UConn blue and white.
Gabby and Kia have gone 140-2 in their careers at UConn. They lost one game their freshman year, an 88-86 overtime loss at Stanford. Then they won their next 111 games before losing to Mississippi State on a buzzer beater in the Final Four. A handful of points is the difference between those two losses and never losing their entire time at UConn.
And they’ve done this mindblowing thing when they were not expected to. No one thought they would continue the win streak begun when they played with Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck after those three graduated. They acheived those things against any realistic expectation. They have two national championships under their belt, and will likely not be satisfied with anything less than ending on a perfect season. They have not lost a single conference game, winning four regular-season and tournament championships. Not too shabby.
Gabby Williams was a high school point guard who has morphed into one of the best forwards in the country. Despite being under 6′, Gabby takes the jump at the beginning of each game, and comes up with it more often than not, regardless of how many inches she gives up to her opponent. The Olympic-caliber high jumper can out leap anyone.
But to talk only of her athleticism would be a disservice to her. Gabby is in outstanding passer with impeccable precision and court vision. She knows exactly where her teammates are going to be before they’re going to be there, and is able to put the ball in their hands while they’re on the move. There aren’t many forwards who can send a line-drive pass 50 feet across the court to catch a breaking teammate in stride.
Having someone with her passing skill allows UConn to run their offense through her in the high post while their shooters come off their screens, making those around her more effective. That leaves aside what she can do with the ball in her hands, finishing at the rim as she contorts herself around the big bodies down low.
Then there’s her defense, tipping passes and gettings steals while outrebouding players with six inches on her. Her energy and activity level. I could go on. When she started out as a freshman, I doubt anyone (accept maybe Geno) saw the All-American she would become.
Kia is the consumate professional. She’s currently one of the leading three-point shooters in the country, hitting 46.7 percent from behind the arc. She’s solidified herself as the best perimeter defender on the team, tasked with shutting down the opponent’s best guard, and she does it well.
The Canadian Olympian is utterly cool under pressure, always the one to settle her teammates when UConn’s fast-paced style teeters into frenzy. It’s Kia with the ball in her hands, slowing everyone down and getting her team back on track.
Their off-the-court efforts are nearly as impressive. Kia sports an exemplary academic record (scoring a perfect 4.0 this past fall semester). And Gabby is always ready with a thoughtful quote on the important social issues of our time. Basketball will not be the only reason we remember these incredible young women.
As freshman, Gabby and Kia latched on to each other, becoming friends as well as teammates and riding out this remarkable journey together. They’ve dazzled us with their skill, impressed us with their effort and blown us away with their ability to win in ways that no one expected. They are the heart and soul of this team that has been an absolute joy to watch. We will miss them terribly next year.
But tonight is not a night to be maudlin. Tonight is a night to celebrate the accomplishments of these young women who have done so much to be proud of. And I think I can safely speak on behalf of all UConn fans when I say we are incredibly proud of Gabby and Kia and how they have represented this university.
I hope tonight they enjoy every moment. They remember their accomplishments, their friendship, and this special time in their lives that is rapidly coming to a close. They’ve earned tonight. They deserve to be feted.
Congratulations, Gabby and Kia, on a tremendous career. Well done.
