Each week, we’ll offer a preview of what to expect from each member of the defending National Champion UConn Huskies roster.
Moriah Jefferson
Senior G
5’7
Background:
If there’s a more exciting player to watch in women’s college basketball, I have not seen her. Through three years in Storrs, Jefferson has made her name as a fast, fearless, competitive and relentless guard that is the perfect fit to run the high-powered UConn offense. Bonn Bonn came to Connecticut from the UConn championship factory known as Texas and immediately made a name for herself, earning a spot on the 2012-13 all-Big East Rookie Team. She has now started in 79 consecutive games for the Huskies and joins Breanna Stewart as the two players to be going for a fourth National Championship this season.
Last year:
Jefferson led the team in minutes (1,121), steals (100), assists (191) and three-point percentage (49.6) and still might have been under-appreciated, if only because she was overshadowed by Stewart and three-point sniper Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. She turned it on in the postseason, however, shooting 65 percent in the AAC and NCAA tournaments. That included a 25-point, six-assist performance against Texas in the Sweet 16, in which she shot 10-12 from the field. Her year-long effort resulted in the Nancy Lieberman Award, given at the end of each season to the nation’s top point guard. Jefferson is also an 84 percent free throw shooter and shot nearly 60 percent from the field, making her almost infallible.
What to expect:
After Stewart, Jefferson might come into this season with the highest expectations on the team. On Tuesday, the two of them were announced as preseason All-Americans, marking the third straight year that a pair of Huskies made the five-player team. Kia Nurse and freshman Katie Lou Samuelson will be two of Jefferson’s primary options on the perimeter, but if they struggle, expect Jefferson to take her fair share of shots. Heck, expect her to shoot a lot regardless. Jefferson is also more than happy running the break at full speed (provided her teammates can keep up) and creating for her teammates. Stewart, Morgan Tuck, Natalie Butler and De’Janae Boykin should all factor into the frontcourt rotation as well, giving Jefferson plenty of opportunities for lobs that lead to rim-rattling dunks (right? Can we make that happen?).
Guess at stats:
| 27.4 MPG | 57.8% FG | 48.5 3PT% | 2.5 SPG | 5.3 APG | 13.2 PTS |
Follow Moriah Jefferson on Twitter.
