Before moving to the United States from Portugal and joining the company UConn Women’s Basketballthe largest crowd Ines Bettencourt has ever played basketball with was about 200 people.
In the biggest moment of her young college career, she hit three free throws in the final 20 seconds of UConn’s game against Princeton in front of a Storm crowd of 8,731. Secure the Husky Victory on thursday night.
This is why Bettencourt committed to UConn.
‘If that kid doesn’t build another basket for the rest of her life, she’ll remember tonight,’ says UConn coach Geno Auriemma Said. “The next time she finds herself in that situation, she will be an even more confident player. But I am very excited for her and I hope she continues. She’s a great kid and everyone on the team loves her.”
The crowd at the Gumpel Pavilion was silent as Betencourt walked to the foul line.
Princeton found a late-game surge, trailing by as much as 15 points before making it a two-point game with less than 30 seconds remaining.
The Huskies had just seen another player go down with an injury as point guard Nikamule had yet to return to the bench after ending the game with an apparent head injury in the third quarter. His 29-year winning streak without consecutive losses for UConn was on the line.
Bettancourt took a breath and fired the shot.
“I felt like I had to believe in myself and knew I needed it, so I just focused on the rim and nothing else,” she said.
The 5-foot-9-inch point guard was a last-minute addition to the Huskies’ roster this past August.rear Paige Bookers Having torn his ACL during a pick-up game, UConn’s coaches knew he needed another backup point guard to take the strain off Mule.
Assistant coach Morgan Valley first reached out to Bettencourt after learning about her performance at the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship, Division B in July.
Even though it was Bettencourt Already dedicated to Northwest Florida State University (a junior college with about 5,000 undergraduates), it didn’t take much convincing to say yes to the Valley and the Huskies.
“I mean, it’s UConn. We couldn’t refuse an offer like this,” Betencourt said in September.
Betencourt played a total of 10 minutes in the first five games of UConn this year.
Although she was always one of the last players off the bench, she continued to work hard in practice and gel with the team. Auriema said that when Bettencourt first entered the XL center, she was surprised by how spacious it was.
“When I first walked into the XL Center, Inez looked around and CD[Chris Daley]said, ‘What’s your (attendance) guess?’ (Auriema pauses for emphasis) Say ‘50,000’ That was her answer, 50,000 It’s the biggest building she’s ever seen. You have to love.”
Last Friday, in UConn’s Big East opener against Providence, Betencourt played a season-high 12 minutes, scoring six points from two 3-pointers and adding three assists in the Huskies’ 98-53 win.
She didn’t play at Notre Dame on Sunday, and if Mule hadn’t been injured, she wouldn’t have played against Princeton on Friday.
With Mule out and Azzie Fudd (out three to six weeks with a knee injury) on the bench, Bettencourt became the Huskies’ only real choice at point guard.
She checked in with two minutes left in the third quarter.
Nervous about the close game or unsure of Mule, Bettencourt was called a foul and called a turnover within three minutes.
After fouling for the second time at 8:02 in the fourth quarter, Auriemma pulled her away.
“She has the wrong role model on the team. Listen to me instead of Nika,” he joked after the game. I know you want to work hard, what do I have to do?
She returned about three minutes later, and this time made a positive impact.
Vettencourt assisted Aubrey Griffin on a fast-break layup, held down a defensive rebound, and then assisted Griffin again in transition.
“When we inbounded the ball, she came to the ball really, really hard like I wanted it to. That says a lot about her. And you know she’s not afraid.” She’s not smart yet, but she’s not afraid.I can probably fix one, but I can’t make you not afraid.
Auriemma had no choice but to keep Bettencourt as Lou Lopez-Senechal nursed an ongoing leg injury on the bench for the last few minutes.
So, of course no one believed when Betencourt got the ball at the foul line with Princeton trailing by two with 20 seconds remaining.
Betencourt made 1 of 2 free throw attempts.
But when Princeton’s 3-point attempt to tie the game fumbled and their last-chance pass went out of bounds, it was UConn’s ball again.
Bettencourt was fouled again with 2.6 seconds remaining. UConn was only three behind him and didn’t have much room to breathe in case the Tigers shot in his last second.
“She is baptized with fire,” said Auriyema. “…this girl has never been in a situation like this in her life.”
Bettancourt made both final free throws.
It saved the game and UConn’s winning streak without losing in a row. In a game that had just lost his third starter to injury, it was Bettencourt’s free throw in the closing minutes that set the night apart.
“I think it’s the moment she can prove she can be in the game and make an impact,” Lopez Senechal said.
Maggie.Vanoni@hearstmediact.com @maggie_vanoni
