Jovana Popovic is used to playing games in front of maybe 15 people back home in Serbia — at least that’s her best guess. So while the half-filled Mohegan Sun Arena might’ve been a light crowd for UConn’s standards, it was a sight to behold for the freshman guard.

“I have never played in these atmospheres with these people around us who support us,” Popovic said. “So first, I would say thank you for coming.”

It would’ve only been natural for the freshman guard to feel some nerves in that environment, especially considering it was her first (unofficial) collegiate game. But the opposite proved to be true. Popovic played like she belonged on the court against Syracuse and didn’t look like a freshman at any moment throughout.

“No, I'm not too nervous,” she said postgame. “Really, I'm so happy to play, so I can't wait to be on the court.”