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Fans who arrive early to Oklahoma women’s basketball games know the drill.
While the early birds trickle into their seats in the friendly confines of Lloyd Noble Center or in arenas across the Big 12, the Sooners (16-12, 11-6) take the court to stretch and put up some warm-up shots.
They run through some drills to get in the zone and lock into the task at hand.
But that doesn’t mean OU’s pregame routine isn’t without a little levity.
In between taking shots, freshmen Shaina Pellington and Ana Llanusa bust a move — or two — fist pumping or throwing down whatever newest dance they’ve been practicing in their dorm room.
For the fans in the crowd, the impromptu dance-offs offer a brief glimpse at the bond the front-runners for Big 12 Freshman of the Year have formed off the court.
Later this week, Pellington and Llanusa will find out if either of their seasons earns them an individual honor from the conference, but Tuesday night, they’ll work as a team to end the regular season on a high note on the road against No. 6 Texas (6 p.m., FS1)
“They’ve both been recognized multiple times over the course of Big 12 play and the most important thing is we’re playing better because they’re playing with consistency,” coach Sherri Coale said of the guard and point guard. “That’s what matters most.”
Before they became two of the most dominant freshmen in the conference, the bubbly Llanusa and reserved Pellington became fast friends, bonding over their loves of dancing, eating and singing.
Soon, that bond manifested during warmups and games.
“Once you get to know her, she breaks through that shell,” Llanusa said. “It’s like having another me right next to me.
“I know quite a bit of what she’s thinking. I could tell if she’s frustrated with herself and being able to tell that, I can tell what she needs and what I can do, if she needs a tap on the shoulder or if she needs me to come up to her and slow her down and just talk to her.”
The two have been key figures in the midst of the Sooners’ four-game winning streak. Llanusa is averaging 10.5 points in that stretch while Pellington is averaging 12.5.
Pellington and Llanusa lead the conference freshmen in scoring, averaging 12.7 and 12.3 points, respectively. Each also captured Freshman of the Week honors from the conference with Pellington winning it four times and Llanusa winning it twice. Llanusa also earned National Freshman of the Week honors from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
“Shaina shows out and then I show out sometimes,” Llanusa said. “It’s just fun, both of us being able to be in that position.”
But their roles on the team have been measured beyond putting points on the board.
“Their point production may fluctuate, but their impact is very constant,” Coale said. “They do it in different ways at different times, but they’ve become a tandem that I feel like I can rely on, like I know I’m going to get something impactful from both of them every time we play.”
Wednesday afternoon, odds are pretty good that either Pellington or Llanusa’s Twitter mentions will blow up when the Big 12 releases its individual honors on the social media platform.
But no matter who wins, the team goal of finishing strong and making the NCAA Tournament takes priority over the individual honor.
“It’s not something that we discuss,” Pellington said of the individual awards. “It’s just about getting wins at this point.”
While the early birds trickle into their seats in the friendly confines of Lloyd Noble Center or in arenas across the Big 12, the Sooners (16-12, 11-6) take the court to stretch and put up some warm-up shots.
They run through some drills to get in the zone and lock into the task at hand.
But that doesn’t mean OU’s pregame routine isn’t without a little levity.
In between taking shots, freshmen Shaina Pellington and Ana Llanusa bust a move — or two — fist pumping or throwing down whatever newest dance they’ve been practicing in their dorm room.
For the fans in the crowd, the impromptu dance-offs offer a brief glimpse at the bond the front-runners for Big 12 Freshman of the Year have formed off the court.
Later this week, Pellington and Llanusa will find out if either of their seasons earns them an individual honor from the conference, but Tuesday night, they’ll work as a team to end the regular season on a high note on the road against No. 6 Texas (6 p.m., FS1)
“They’ve both been recognized multiple times over the course of Big 12 play and the most important thing is we’re playing better because they’re playing with consistency,” coach Sherri Coale said of the guard and point guard. “That’s what matters most.”
Before they became two of the most dominant freshmen in the conference, the bubbly Llanusa and reserved Pellington became fast friends, bonding over their loves of dancing, eating and singing.
Soon, that bond manifested during warmups and games.
“Once you get to know her, she breaks through that shell,” Llanusa said. “It’s like having another me right next to me.
“I know quite a bit of what she’s thinking. I could tell if she’s frustrated with herself and being able to tell that, I can tell what she needs and what I can do, if she needs a tap on the shoulder or if she needs me to come up to her and slow her down and just talk to her.”
The two have been key figures in the midst of the Sooners’ four-game winning streak. Llanusa is averaging 10.5 points in that stretch while Pellington is averaging 12.5.
Pellington and Llanusa lead the conference freshmen in scoring, averaging 12.7 and 12.3 points, respectively. Each also captured Freshman of the Week honors from the conference with Pellington winning it four times and Llanusa winning it twice. Llanusa also earned National Freshman of the Week honors from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
“Shaina shows out and then I show out sometimes,” Llanusa said. “It’s just fun, both of us being able to be in that position.”
But their roles on the team have been measured beyond putting points on the board.
“Their point production may fluctuate, but their impact is very constant,” Coale said. “They do it in different ways at different times, but they’ve become a tandem that I feel like I can rely on, like I know I’m going to get something impactful from both of them every time we play.”
Wednesday afternoon, odds are pretty good that either Pellington or Llanusa’s Twitter mentions will blow up when the Big 12 releases its individual honors on the social media platform.
But no matter who wins, the team goal of finishing strong and making the NCAA Tournament takes priority over the individual honor.
“It’s not something that we discuss,” Pellington said of the individual awards. “It’s just about getting wins at this point.”
