MINNEAPOLIS — Prior to tipoff of every game that her family attends, UConn redshirt senior forward Evina Westbrook tries to spot her mother, Eva. Westbrook doesn’t get worried, per se, if she doesn’t initially find her, but they’ve developed a routine over the years. Even at the Final Four, there’s no reason to break it. “We make eye contact and then she finishes warming up,” Eva says.
New this year, however, is what Westbrook does after pregame festivities conclude. In her debut campaign with UConn last season, Westbrook started all 30 games; in 2021–22 she’s started only 15, and just twice since Jan.