ALBANY, N.Y. – Main as much as Colorado’s Candy 16 matchup towards Iowa, a lot of the main focus has been on the battles that may happen on the perimeter.
Iowa is loaded with sharp-shooting guards, together with famous person Caitlin Clark. And, Colorado is loaded with gifted guards, led by Jaylyn Sherrod.
A key battle on Saturday at MVP Area, nevertheless, may very well be within the paint between CU’s Aaronette Vonleh and Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke.
“I believe all of the matchups on the ground are gonna be key, however I believe that one’s simply going to be about physicality, athleticism, rebounding – simply actually the little issues,” Vonleh mentioned. “I believe it’ll be a superb matchup. She’s a superb participant, however I believe we’re ready for all of them.”
Stuelke, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, averages 14.1 factors and 6.7 rebounds in her first season as a starter. Vonleh, a 6-3 junior, is available in main the workforce in scoring (14.0) and she or he’s second in rebounds (5.2).
Key for CU is that Vonleh is available in on a sizzling streak, having gone toe-to-toe with among the finest put up gamers within the nation not too long ago.
“Typically you get to a spot the place you simply sort of are who you’re at this level within the season,” CU head coach JR Payne unhappy. “I (instructed Vonleh), it’s an unimaginable factor to see for as a lot success as you’ve had this yr that you just’re persevering with to get higher.”
Vonleh started her season scoring 24 factors and grabbing six rebounds towards LSU’s Angel Reese – a second-team All-American. She’s had a number of massive video games, however has additionally been up and down at occasions (like many gamers).
In her final three video games, nevertheless, Vonleh’s been on a tear. On March 7 towards Oregon State’s Raegan Beers – a third-team All-American – she had 20 factors and 4 rebounds.
Final weekend, within the first spherical of the NCAA Event, she had 18 factors and 10 rebounds and dominated Drake’s Anna Miller, the Missouri Valley Convention defensive participant of the yr. On Sunday, she had 9 factors, eight rebounds and a career-high seven steals towards Kansas State’s Ayoka Lee. She held Lee, an All-American honorable point out, to 10 factors – about half of her common of 19.7.
Vonleh mentioned she went into final weekend figuring out it was win-or-go-home and she or he was decided to do her half for the workforce.
“I’m going into video games anticipating to only do what I’m able to at a excessive stage,” she mentioned. “So I wasn’t actually stunned however positively happy with simply having the ability to do it again to again.”
Final weekend in Manhattan, Kan., was arguably Vonleh’s finest two-game stretch of the season, and it put her capability on full show.
“We’ve been telling her for the final two years that no one in America can cease her,” CU’s Kindyll Wetta mentioned. “I believe it’s actually simply as much as her when she desires to drop as many factors as she does and simply come out and be that put up participant, however I believe she actually stepped up the previous weekend.
“To see her go on the market and discover that confidence in herself and kinda begin realizing like, ‘OK, no one can cease me,’ is actually cool and we want that.”
Sometimes a superb weapon on offense, Vonleh’s rebounding final weekend was significantly encouraging. It was simply the second time in her profession – and first time this yr – she had no less than eight in back-to-back video games.
“I believe the rebounding has been enormous for Aaronette,” Payne mentioned. “I believe her method to each of these video games, figuring out that they have been key matchups for us, her focus was nice, her intentionality about being actually aggressive on the glass, figuring out that we wanted these, I assumed they have been recreation changers for us final weekend.”