UConn women’s basketball to play Georgia Tech for Olivia Nelson-Ododa’s homecoming

UConn women’s basketball will travel down to Georgia Tech on Thursday, Dec. 9 for Olivia Nelson-Ododa’s homecoming game, the team announced Tuesday.

“I’m super excited to go back home,” Nelson-Ododa said. “My family is going to be able to come see me play and my friends and people like that and so it’s just super exciting to have the opportunity.”

Nelson-Ododa hails from Winder, Georgia, roughly an hour outside of Atlanta, where Georgia Tech is located — depending on the traffic, at least. She said head coach Geno Auriemma only told her about the game a few days ago.

“A nice little surprise,” Nelson-Ododa said with a smile.

UConn is 2-0 all-time against Georgia Tech with the last meeting coming in 2010. This past year, the Yellow Jackets went 17-9 and made a run to the Sweet Sixteen.

Georgia Tech is now the sixth team on UConn’s non-conference schedule, joining Oregon and South Carolina as road trips. The Huskies will also host Notre Dame and Tennessee in addition to a neutral site matchup with Louisville at Mohegan Sun on Dec. 19. They will also travel to the Bahamas for three games in the Battle 4 Atlantis from Nov. 20-22, though the opponents have not yet been announced.

The NCAA allows teams to play 27 games if they participate in a multi-team event. With UConn set to play a 20-game Big East slate, the Battle 4 Atlantis (an MTE) and six non-conference games, there’s still one opening remaining on its schedule.

Evina Westbrook (Salem, Oregon) will get a homecoming game when the Huskies travel to face the Oregon Ducks while Christyn Williams (Little Rock, Arkansas) got a homecoming last season when they played at Arkansas. Originally, UConn was set to play Little Rock this season, though Auriemma hinted that likely wouldn’t happen last year.

“For now this is what we got (for Williams’ homecoming),” he said prior to the Arkansas game. “If we can go back down here next year, great. If for some reason we can’t, it’s not for lack of trying.”