Asked in the postgame press conference what it felt like during the 25 minutes Auriemma had her guarding Griner, the 6-1 Walker said:
“I’ve never even seen a 6-8 female person before. Stepping out there next to her I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness.’ ”
According to UConn beat writer John Altavilla in the Hartford Courant, laughter from the country’s largest women’s basketball media contingent filled the room.
Not only had Walker more than held her own in that game, forcing Griner away from the basket for important stretches as the No. 1 Huskies beat the No. 2 Bears by a point, she had given some insight into what she was thinking and feeling.
There were plaudits from Auriemma, who described Walker’s play as “unbelievable” and said he did not want to take her out “once she got in there and I saw what she was doing and how she was going about doing it.”
Despite being slowed by a preseason hamstring injury, it hasn’t taken Walker long to become a mainstay in the rotation of this dynastic program. She averaged 21.7 minutes, 7.3 points and 6.7 rebounds through UConn’s first three games, making 10-of-15 field-goal attempts and ranking third on the team with five steals.
As the Huskies surge ever closer to the record 88-game win streak established by the UCLA men’s team from 1971-74, Walker’s role should do nothing but grow. UConn figures to tie the record Dec. 19 against Ohio State in New York and break it against No. 16 Florida State two days later.
Campus tour
• Senior point guard Norris Cole (Dunbar) scored at least 19 points in each game as Cleveland State rolled to a 5-0 start.
• Zack Kauth (CJ) has caught 14 passes and scored four touchdowns for the bowl-bound Air Force football team. Twin sister Emily Kauth (CJ), meanwhile, is a junior on the Bowling Green volleyball team.
• Kellen Zawadzki (Tippecanoe), a senior on the Huntington (W.Va.) University basketball team, was named Mid-Central Conference player of the week for the period ending Nov. 21. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists as the Foresters went 3-0. Zawadzki leads the MCC in scoring (24.2 ppg).
• AJ Shiverdecker (Alter), a hockey player at Westfield State University in Westfield, Mass., is a co-captain this season. The junior has 16 goals and 33 assists in 55 career games.
• Grant Kercher (Centerville), Brad Baumer (Centerville) and Noah Zimmerlin (Beavercreek) were part of the Cincinnati State soccer team that made it to the National Junior College Athletic Association championship game in Tyler, Texas, losing 5-1 to Tyler J.C. last weekend.
If you have news of area athletes competing in college sports, please e-mail Sean McClelland at smcclelland@DaytonDaily News.com or call him at (937) 225-2408.
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