Lady Vols' trip to Notre Dame is another chance to gauge team's progress
Dan Fleser
Tennessee’s schedule sends the Lady Vols to Notre Dame on Thursday for the third of four consecutive women’s basketball games against ranked opponents.
Amid this grueling trek, Evina Westbrook updated a parallel journey involving teammates, leadership, trust and the bonds that are being forged within the group.
“It’s getting so much stronger as the year goes on,” the freshman guard said after Sunday’s 86-70 victory at South Carolina. “I can’t wait to see how far it goes.”
The Lady Vols’ prospects against the No. 5 Fighting Irish (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) will involve more tangible qualities than those being chronicled by Westbrook. For example, their defense will be challenged by a potent offense that averages 83.7 points per game. Despite its injury woes, Notre Dame (16-2) still has four double-figure scorers. Guard Arike Ogunbowale, who averages 19.7 points per game, is a threat to top 30 points. And 6-foot-5 transfer Jessica Shepard has scored in double figures in 14 games.
Purcell Pavilion probably will be as full and foreboding as South Carolina’s Colonial Life Arena, where the No. 7 Lady Vols (16-1) had trouble communicating and squandered 14 points of an 18-point second half lead before righting themselves.
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Westbrook noted how loud and hostile the surroundings were, which served to reinforce the point she was making.
“We had to stick together as a team,” she said, “and that’s what we did.”
Senior tour guides
Westbrook's perspective involved the leadership of seniors Jaime Nared and Mercedes Russell. Their influence has been well chronicled already. But the team atmosphere they’ve helped create is being tested now as Tennessee navigates this gantlet.
“They’ve done an amazing job, not only with the freshmen but with the whole team, how they lead on and off the floor,” Westbrook said. “They’ve been in our position before, so I think just the trust mentality of it, we all trust each other out there. We definitely trust those two the most.”
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Westbrook has fresh knowledge of this teamwork after a foul she committed and a subsequent turnover played a key part in Thursday’s 79-76 overtime loss at Texas A&M. She said that her teammates rallied around her. UT coach Holly Warlick spoke with Westbrook as well, telling her the loss resulted from multiple factors.
Warlick offered a show of support during postgame interviews on Sunday, placing her hand on Westbrook’s shoulder and saying “the sign of a great player is to bounce back.”
Against South Carolina, Westbrook scored 14 points (all in the second half) and recorded a team-high five assists. After Tennessee’s lead dwindled to four points, she responded by scoring seven points and blocking a shot. She was whistled for a foul, after UT’s lead had been restored to 10 points, but didn’t commit a turnover.
Westbrook said the result was big for the team, not just herself. She considered her play to be a byproduct of everyone’s support.
“They picked me up. That’s what I need my team to do for me,” she said, “and I’m going to do the same for them.”
Bringing everyone along
Westbrook’s thinking recalled an observation UT assistant coach Dean Lockwood made about her earlier this season pertaining to Nared.
“I think Evina respects that not only is Jaime producing but she’s also reaching back to help others,” he said. “Jaime is definitely trying to bring people along with her, and I think Evina realizes that. I think she’s very astute and tuned into that and appreciates that.”
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Nared scored a team-high 21 points on Sunday. But the senior forward also committed three of UT’s six turnovers during the mini-meltdown in the second half. She winged one pass over Tennessee’s bench and turned her head in frustration.
Nared’s driving left-handed layup, a shot South Carolina guard Tyasha Harris indicated the Gamecocks were content with Nared taking, stopped the collapse. Westbrook immediately followed with a clutch pull-up jumper.
Westbrook and fellow freshmen Anastasia Hayes and Rennia Davis scored 27 of Tennessee’s 43 second-half points. They followed a senior’s lead and brought the team along with them.