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October 10, 2025 13 mins
The transfer from the University of Wisconsin on her transfer and adjustment to play at UConn 
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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Difference or the toughest part of the transition from where
you came to Yukon.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
How is it different here?

Speaker 3 (00:07):
It's different just the expectation to win and how we
do everything, like everything looking right, everything perfect.

Speaker 4 (00:15):
Everything is harder, not harder.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Like as a difficult standpoint, but as in you have
to just exert more because now I'm playing to a
new standard and.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
There's just an urgency to win every single game year
and maybe it doesn't exist in other places. Yeah, have
you thought about that about how you're gonna handle that.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
No, I'm just doing it day by day. All I
can do is just give my hardest every day and
hopefully that plays off.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
How ex are are you to play an actual game
on Monday?

Speaker 4 (00:42):
I'm excited.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
I think being here since June and having practices with
the team, just to see it all come together and
like the new environment, seeing all the fans, I think
that should be fun.

Speaker 4 (00:55):
What has your experience been like with the Yukon fans
so far? What happens? I think they're very funny.

Speaker 3 (01:02):
Like obviously I'm heavily on social media, so I see
a lot of things and I just say they're very
funny and extremely supportive even since I've been was in
the portal.

Speaker 5 (01:13):
Why do you say funny?

Speaker 4 (01:16):
It's just like I would.

Speaker 3 (01:18):
I don't know if you guys would find it funny,
but it's like very like low dumb humor, as in
like with collesive streams. That's when I got to interact
with them a little bit, like indirectly, and again just
like funny.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
What are the strengths of your game?

Speaker 3 (01:37):
My strengths, I would say in post on both sides
of the floor, being able to score, back to the basket,
face up, rebound, and obviously depend and defend the paint.

Speaker 4 (01:48):
Really have been here for a couple of months, But
what do you feel like? How's your game ping.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
On so far?

Speaker 4 (01:52):
Just in this.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Practice you've been in.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
Definitely been a lot more patient because I'm not getting
doubled or triple team, so I have time to like
actually see instead of like rush. So I'm definitely learning
how to be a lot more patient with the ball
and actually see my options and passing, like finding my
teammates and learning their new tendencies and trying to figure
out ways to get them open and myself open.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
So what was your perception of Yukon before you even
thought of coming here when you were Wisconsin. What did
you think when you watched Yukon.

Speaker 3 (02:27):
I think like it's just oh, it's like Yukon. I
don't think you it's only one way to think about
this place is just greatness and all the success they've
had over the years. I think ever since even before Wisconsin,
like you hear Yukon and you just think of like success.

Speaker 5 (02:45):
I've read somewhere that you were a little bit shocked
when they wind you when you put your name in,
You're like, oh, Yukon wants me. I mean, why the surprise?
And have you settled in right now?

Speaker 3 (02:58):
Will?

Speaker 5 (02:59):
Yeah? This is why the.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yeah. I think it was just a shock because I
think I went in right a little like after no
before it was like the March Madains. I went in
and I think they were like in the middle of
like about to play a national championship game, and it
was just more of a hey, you just want a
national championship without me, like like you know, the like

(03:24):
the need for me. I asked them too, and I
was very honest. I was like, it's my last year,
Like why do you want me here? And they were
very honest and expressed to me they want to needs
from the team, and I expressed my areas of growth
that I wanted for my last year as well, and
I decided that this was the perfect place for me
to spend my last year of college. I just think

(03:50):
in all aspects, I'm a little closer to the East Coast,
closer to home and basketball wise, to be able to
win and be coached by like the highest the highest
level of each I think that's the perfect way to
close out my collegiate career and saying I gave it
my all.

Speaker 6 (04:10):
What has it been like working with coach so far?

Speaker 5 (04:12):
Has he like lived up to your expectations?

Speaker 4 (04:15):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (04:16):
Yeah, Yeah, It's been good though, because I just soaking
everything in and just try not to make the same
mistake twice and also trying to give myself grace as
and like it's okay to like make a mistake, just
like move forward from it.

Speaker 5 (04:30):
How do you feel you have come along? Do you
do you think you've made progress or you're not happy
where you were at?

Speaker 3 (04:36):
I think I made progress again, just still day by day.
I think it's just harder being in the system for
three years now come into another system. I thought the
transition would be a lot easier, but realistically it couldn't
be any easier.

Speaker 4 (04:50):
It's just different.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
It's different basketball, it's a different place. So Geah, I
just give myself grace in that area.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Now, when you mentioned you were getting triple teamed at
with Wisconsin and now that doesn't appear will be the
case here? Does the game slow down for you now
because you're not getting rushed in triple team like that?

Speaker 3 (05:08):
Yes, I'm learning how to play slower because I don't
have to score ass quickly anymore. I can take my
time and I have a lot of space. I haven't
seen that much space in like three years. But yeah,
that's yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
Does it help that the twenty ones next year as
your teammate.

Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
I think everyone on the team and I'm in the post,
everyone in the perimeter can shoot it. So even before
I look to make a move, I look who's the
guards around me, and like if their man was to
come try to double me, like where they.

Speaker 4 (05:38):
Will be opening.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
I just, at least from my point of view, I
don't think it'd be smart to my advantage to double team.
Maybe because I have shooters who I can pass it to.

Speaker 5 (05:48):
Your assist went way up last year, almost triple. I
think from what you had done in the past, where
have you worked really hard at that part of your game?
Is that something you're looking to improve here even more?

Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, I think it was. It helped with the addition
of Carter McCray. She was also dominant in the post
as well, so that gave me someone to pass the
ball to and just show people like, hey, I can.

Speaker 4 (06:11):
Pass, Like it's not like I don't pass.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
I can, And yeah, focus here, just reading the game
more and mashing up the IQ piece and the actual
passive piece.

Speaker 4 (06:23):
What's it been like playing with Sarah Strong? It's been good.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
She's very She's just like a really good basketball player obviously,
like the game looks easy, like it comes easy to her.

Speaker 4 (06:32):
And being able.

Speaker 3 (06:33):
To like feed off her and learn how to play
with like another player she plays inside out, just that
learning piece.

Speaker 4 (06:41):
It's been fun.

Speaker 6 (06:42):
They figured out a way to separate you guys in
the gymard you both turn.

Speaker 3 (06:46):
When someone calls her like I don't think her name
is yet called much, but if it does, it'll be
Sarah Williams. Or he's making a very specific example where
like I'm on the court and she's on the baseline,
so like obviously he's talking about like me and not her.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
Do you have a nickname?

Speaker 5 (07:02):
No?

Speaker 4 (07:04):
No, no nickname?

Speaker 6 (07:05):
Who's coming to see you play on Monday play?

Speaker 3 (07:09):
I don't think anyone's coming, I think, yeah, I don't
think anyone's coming, at least that I'm aware of.

Speaker 6 (07:15):
No one's coming down from Brooklyn.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
No, I think because we play in Brooklyn, So I
think everyone's just like looking forward to when we actually
play there, and we play Saint John's as well.

Speaker 4 (07:25):
People are saving their time for that.

Speaker 5 (07:27):
You feel like you can make a big impact here defensively,
I mean you're on an all defensive team for a
couple of years in a big ten or is it
just different here? Are you still learning?

Speaker 3 (07:37):
I think I think I definitely can. Obviously, that's the expectation,
is what they brought me here for. I don't think
I would step away from my defensive intensity just because
I'm here.

Speaker 4 (07:49):
I think just to be able to grow off that
of what I've done previously.

Speaker 5 (07:55):
Has it been a transition? He said, their system is different.
You're gonna have to learn a few things.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah, I've definitely been out on a perimeter more and
the rotations to dropping communication piece of it and not
just I'm just used to protecting like inside, which I
think the majority of my job still would be, but
also now like if I was to have to switch
and transition like on a perimeterive player for a possession

(08:20):
or two, like how to be comfortable in that?

Speaker 5 (08:24):
How much was the lower of coming here? Just the
fact that you could play with other great players and
just be part of a team rather than the focus
that somebody's always going out.

Speaker 3 (08:36):
I think that was one of my big things, and
the portal was I want to play with other good Oh,
I want to play with good people, good players, and
other good impact players as well, because like it was
fun for about a year, but then that being fun
when you get tripled every time you play.

Speaker 4 (08:56):
So just learn how to play.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
Like teams basketball and be like part of a team
and feeding off people and having having the different aspects
that comes with a all around good team. I really
wanted that experience.

Speaker 6 (09:11):
Do you have to change in any way to adjust
to the culture here where winning is sort of expected?

Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah, I definitely work harder. I think when you're the
main option coming down the floor, you just you don't
really have to like because you know you're gonna get
the ball regardless, but here you kind of work smarter,
work harder, like positioning, l like letting the coaches and
the teammates know they can trust me when I'm in
my areas on the floor.

Speaker 4 (09:38):
So just having to do that every day.

Speaker 5 (09:41):
How big of a priority is it for you to
was it coming out of the Portland go someplace where
you can play in the NCAA tournament and actually advance
pretty far. I would imagine that's something you want to
experience before you leave college.

Speaker 4 (09:52):
That was my priority for sure.

Speaker 3 (09:55):
I think anywhere I would have chosen it would have
been I would have made March. I don't know how
far I would have made it, but it I definitely did
wanna make March. I think watching it at a certain
point was like not enough for me. And it was
harder to watch it last year because I was like, Okay,
now I'm a junior, like I'm wanna play in March.
So having my last year at for sure the goal

(10:17):
list obviously to.

Speaker 4 (10:18):
Play in March.

Speaker 6 (10:20):
Did you watch Yukon?

Speaker 4 (10:21):
I did a whole lot last year. I did. I
watched it in March and.

Speaker 3 (10:27):
It was very surprising how they blew everyone out, especially
UCLA and the championship game.

Speaker 4 (10:35):
I think I feel asleep halfway cause I.

Speaker 3 (10:37):
Was like, damn you, they're up forty points in the
championship game and I was and I woke up and
they were like fifty.

Speaker 4 (10:42):
I was as we well it it was just like wow,
like I.

Speaker 3 (10:46):
I expected a I don't think anyone expected the game
to go like that, like at all, like at all,
but it was. It was a great run they had.

Speaker 6 (10:57):
What's it like as a to watch other players that
really good? I mean, I know most players like to
try to pick the chise pla things that they could
take in add to their games. That's something that you
think about.

Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah, I think just watching people be good at what
they're really good at, and like obviously that's a highlight
every time they step on the floor. Like for me
learning in the new system, that like makes me focus.
I'm like, hey, like, okay, now you don't have to
do everything, just be what you're really good at and
everything's gonna fall in place.

Speaker 5 (11:28):
Is it easier from that perspective to play with other
very good players or is it more difficult because you're
being challenged every day? And have to go hurt all
the time because they're gonna come at you as well.

Speaker 3 (11:40):
I would say it's a mix of both, just just
cause it's everything's new, like just the new system how
we defend, how like n different players learning their tendencies.
So I'd say it's easy cause it's like fun to
just watch and be a part of, and harder just

(12:00):
as an adjustment piece.

Speaker 5 (12:02):
So what's what's the goal here for you? Is it
to help them win another national championship? Is it to
you know, see how high you can raise your game
to get to the next level? What's your ultimate goal?

Speaker 4 (12:15):
That's a great question.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
I'm really just trying to endure my senior year, give
everything I have every day, and whatever happens happens.

Speaker 6 (12:26):
What is what does leadership mean to you? I mean
you were sort of the focal point for many years
and got the touches and so forth, and now the
ASISI maybe different. What does leadership mean to you as
a as a player?

Speaker 3 (12:36):
For me, as I'm adjusting, I'm just trying to really
just learn pick up as much as I can because
I can't lead what I don't know, so but I
can control, like how hard I play how hard I learn,
how hard a rebound, and hopefully people can feed off that.

Speaker 1 (12:53):
How are you adjusting to campus life?

Speaker 4 (12:54):
So far good.

Speaker 3 (12:56):
I have a scooter, as you guys probably know, so
it's like not with the wind and the view again.

Speaker 4 (13:03):
I love the grass here.

Speaker 3 (13:04):
The landscaping is really good. I haven't really apart from classes,
I haven't been able to do much more because spending
a lot of time with the team, so it's not
really I don't feel like I need to, like I
don't know, do anything else.
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