Ice Brady, the No. 5 recruit in ESPN HoopGurlz’s Class of 2022 rankings, averaged 17.4 minutes per game during the 2023-24 season. Brady, who started three contests, played 30+ minutes just twice out of the 39 games that she appeared in as a redshirt freshman.
Those two games were not just any ordinary regular-season Big East battles, however. The San Diego native started and played all 40 minutes of the final two rounds of the 2024 Big East Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena in March. She never checked out after abruptly entering four minutes into the third quarter of the top-seeded UConn women’s basketball team’s quarterfinal matchup against the eighth-seeded Providence Friars.
Most of that had to do with Brady being the only healthy forward remaining for Connecticut after WBCA All-American Aaliyah Edwards suffered a broken nose. Nevertheless, the 6-foot-3 forward shined in multiple high-stakes situations over three consecutive days.
Brady scored all eight of her points in the 16 second-half minutes she played in the quarterfinal and only fouled once after committing three in the first half on March 9. She followed that up with 10 points and five rebounds in a low-scoring semifinal bout versus the fifth-seeded Marquette Golden Eagles. During the Big East Championship game against the sixth-seeded Georgetown Hoyas on March 11, the 2022 SLAM All-American dropped 13 points at a 4-5 clip, grabbed eight rebounds and swatted two shots.
Brady made sure the Huskies did not have five guards on the court at once; she fouled just three times across those two contests. Her noteworthy performances in consecutive starts earned the then-redshirt freshman a spot on the Big East All-Tournament Team alongside Most Outstanding Player Paige Bueckers and guard Nika Mühl.
Those 2.5 contests in March, as small of a sample size as it might seem, brought to light the skillset that could turn Brady into a superstar. Her breakout season might be coming sooner rather than later.
In the months since the Big East Tournament, Mühl and Edwards have both started their professional careers and made their debuts in the Women’s National Basketball Association. The two-time All-Big East First Team forward, one of six players in UConn history to score 1,800+ points and grab 1,000+ rebounds, leaves a hole in the frontcourt the Huskies will need to address.
The rising redshirt sophomore has the potential to fill some aspects of that opening. Although she averaged 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in the 39 contests she played in, Brady showed flashes of potential beyond that 96-minute stretch in the Big East Tournament. The San Diego native contributed to Connecticut’s 43-point blowout against the St. John’s Red Storm on January 13 with a career-high 17 points off the bench.
Just as important as that outing were Brady’s back-to-back double-digit games in the middle of February. The 6-foot-3 forward shot a perfect 5-5 in both contests, the first of which versus the Xavier Musketeers in Cincinnati resulted in her first career double-double.
Brady’s impact on the boards goes well beyond just grabbing missed shots; her 16 rejections ranked third on the team behind Bueckers (53) and Edwards (36). Her five-block performance in Storrs against the DePaul Blue Demons on January 20 provides just one glimpse into the damage that she can do.
The 2021 San Diego Sports Association Player of the Year complements her post presence with a three-point shot that can catch opponents off-guard. Sure, she only attempted 25 threes across the entire season, but she made six of them for a 24% mark. While Brady never had a game with multiple three-pointers, opposing teams may have a harder time trying to shut down the Huskies’ high-octane offense if she heats up from downtown.
Despite all of the talents that made her a top-five recruit, it is unlikely that the 2022 MaxPreps California All-State Third Team selection might start more than three games next season. Center Jana El-Alfy, who dominated the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup before a torn Achilles ended her 2023-24 season, is an effective shot blocker. Class of 2024 No. 1 recruit Sarah Strong recently earned a spot on the USA Basketball U18 National Team that will compete in Colombia next month. Redshirt senior Aubrey Griffin, who is exercising her final year of eligibility, averaged six rebounds per game in 14 contests.
Should she not start games, Brady could be the first forward off the bench to begin the 2024-25 season, like she was for the majority of last year. Additionally, the San Diego native has a huge role to play when it comes to maintaining the team’s frontcourt depth and must avoid fouling too much. Only three players committed more fouls than Brady’s 79 last season, a number that needs to slightly decrease going forward.
Grabbing even more missed shots will be just as important next season, especially with Edwards in the WNBA. It is less about giving Connecticut extra opportunities—the 2022 McDonald’s All-American’s 32 offensive rebounds were fifth on the team—and more about preventing the opposition from creating their own additional chances. Brady should have no issue having a greater impact on the glass; she hauled in 3+ rebounds in seven of the Huskies’ nine games prior to their Final Four run.
Should she make those adjustments, the San Diego native will be able to really build off her rookie campaign and her Big East Tournament performance. Edwards and Mühl both made significant strides in their development between their second and third seasons. The former garnered Big East Most Improved Player honors in 2023; the latter set the single-season and program record for assists.
Be advised that Brady might not start as many games as both leaders did during their final two seasons in Storrs. Roles could change, especially for the rising redshirt sophomore and UConn’s frontcourt, as players like Strong and El-Alfy get acclimated to the college game. Regardless, do not be surprised if Brady takes a major step forward in her third year with the program.
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