蜜柚直播

It was so packed with Wildcat backers that, at one point, I literally couldn鈥檛 move. It was as if Becky Burke鈥檚 defense had sprung an impenetrable half-court trap.

While waiting for the traffic to clear, I couldn鈥檛 help but think 鈥� this being the 50th anniversary of the release of 鈥淛aws鈥� after all 鈥� you鈥檙e gonna need a bigger room.

Wisely, adjustments were made. Tables had been set up in an L shape in a corner of the Courtside Kitchen for the players to sit and sign autographs during Monday鈥檚 meet-and-greet. Allese Williams, 蜜柚直播鈥檚 new director of staff operations and a former Embry-Riddle Eagle under Burke, recognized that this configuration wasn鈥檛 going to work. So she and other staffers broke down and removed the tables. The players and coaches would mingle with the people.

After Burke arrived about 5:10 p.m., she stood on a chair amid the throng and announced that half the team would be hanging out upstairs at the Center Court Bar & Grill. Smart coaching decision. We could all breathe now.

鈥淭his right here is what the 蜜柚直播 women鈥檚 basketball fan base is all about,鈥� Burke told the crowd. 鈥淏ear down, baby!鈥�

Although the UA had promoted the meet-and-greet through emails and , attendance 鈥� estimated at 500 鈥� exceeded all expectations.

The turnout also resolved a question that had been looming over the program since Burke took over in early April: Would fans who adored and appreciated Burke鈥檚 predecessor, Adia Barnes, be willing to turn the page and embrace the next chapter of 蜜柚直播 women鈥檚 basketball?

鈥淚 think that question is answered for sure,鈥� Burke told me during a brief break from shaking hands, giving hugs, signing autographs and taking selfies.

鈥淭hey give us so much. This is a team and a program and a coaching staff that鈥檚 going to give it right back. I think, as a fan, that鈥檚 all you want to feel, that your efforts are being reciprocated by the players and the coaches, and it definitely will be. This is an incredible place with a fan base that鈥檚 second to none.鈥�

Introductions needed

If there was any leftover animosity about the breakup between Barnes and her alma mater, it wasn鈥檛 evident Monday. The fans were enthusiastic and welcoming in what was a true meet-and-greet situation: Only one player out of 13, Montaya Dew, is back from last season鈥檚 team. The coaching staff is almost entirely new, too.

As the players filed in, they paused to introduce themselves. Each said her name and number. Forward Nora Francois couldn鈥檛 remember hers, cracking up the crowd and her teammates. Like we said, this is all new.

Although most of them haven鈥檛 been in town very long, the players and coaches couldn鈥檛 have been more personable. As guard Mickayla Perdue 鈥� who introduced herself to everyone as 鈥淢ickey鈥� 鈥� met with fans, she asked them where they sat at McKale Center and where they鈥檙e from.

鈥淭he women鈥檚 basketball fans are the best,鈥� one told her.

鈥淲e hope to see you at every game,鈥� Perdue replied. 鈥淚鈥檒l be looking and listening.鈥�

Perdue had been using one of the aforementioned tables as a writing surface to sign autographs. When they were taken away, she showed she can adjust midgame, using the wall or her thigh instead. Other Wildcats used each other鈥檚 backs.

The way the players interacted with one another, you wouldn鈥檛 know they鈥檇 only been together a short while. Burke took no credit for that. She wanted them to bond organically, and it appears that they have.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 anything that us as coaches can necessarily fabricate and force,鈥� Burke said. 鈥淭hey spend a lot of time together. They are investing in one another on their own. They鈥檙e cooking dinner, they鈥檙e hanging out, they鈥檙e doing things on the weekends. That鈥檚 all you could ask. They understand how important their relationships with each other are.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 force friendships, relationships, in any capacity, let alone in a basketball team.鈥�

It remains to be seen how it will all come together on the court. Burke basically had to start from scratch, and other programs had a two-week head start in the transfer portal.

Burke assembled that has both experience and youth, shooting and size. Many of the players are unproven at the 鈥減ower鈥� level. But Burke never has shied away from a challenge. And she鈥檚 thrilled to have a team and a staff to begin the process of resetting the program.

鈥淚 met a lot of these people my first day on the job,鈥� Burke said. 鈥淣ow meeting them again (almost) four months later, I鈥檓 like, 鈥楬ey, I鈥檓 in a lot better place now than I was when you first met me.鈥� It鈥檚 just nice to see things come along and come to fruition.鈥�

鈥楶art of the family鈥�

Burke knows how to work a room. She asked every single person she met what their name was. She was just as comfortable talking to grandmas as teenagers.

At one point, Burke noticed a group of women patiently sitting at a round table in the corner. She went over to greet them. They responded with a round of applause. One fan asked a pretty serious basketball question: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 your philosophy?鈥� Burke said she wanted to play fast and that it starts on the defensive end.

Another fan named Carol thanked Burke for 鈥渢he note I got in the mail.鈥� Carol said she鈥檇 never gotten a personal note like that from a coach.

After taking a picture with two young, female hoopers, Burke told them: 鈥淭ag me, girls.鈥� The 35-year-old speaks their language, too.

A woman wearing a red UA T-shirt with her silver hair neatly tied in a ponytail summed up the attendees鈥� sentiment when she told Burke: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e part of the family now.鈥�

Burke felt the love 鈥� emotionally and, well, physically as she slowly and steadily squeezed through the overflow crowd.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just absolutely incredible,鈥� Burke said. 鈥淭his is everything that we鈥檝e heard 蜜柚直播 women鈥檚 basketball fans are about, and they just prove it to be true every time. The support, the love, the investment 鈥� it鈥檚 here.鈥�