It’s safe to say Kristi Toliver wasn’t having the rookie season she had hoped for when she was drafted by the WNBA’s Chicago Sky in April — perhaps until Sunday’s game in Seattle.

When she was drafted, Toliver said Chicago was the perfect fit for her up-and-down style of play and that she expected big minutes early on. That didn’t happen as Toliver struggled from the three-point line and got limited minutes for a college star of her caliber.

But in Sunday’s win against the Storm, Toliver showed the type of explosive scoring ability that earned her ACC POY last season for the first time in the pro ranks. Thanks to a 6-of-8 mark from behind the arc, Toliver poured in 22 points in 27 minutes and added 7 assists.

This comes two days after going 0-of-9 from the field in 21 minutes in a loss to Indiana.

When she visited Washington and the Mystics last month, Toliver said she was having to adjust to the speed and size of the pro game, indicating the increased physical demands of pro competition were a reason for her struggles.

Terp coach Brenda Frese seemed to predict a longer adjustment period for the relatively small Toliver (5-foot-7) than say forward Marissa Coleman (6-foot-1), when she told our Brian Kapur,”[Toliver] just needs to be patient and let the game come to herself.”

In Sunday’s game in Seattle, Toliver certainly did those things, based on the stat line. Will she be able to keep it up?

Aaron Kraut is The Diamondback’s sports editor. He can be reached at akrautdbk@gmail.com

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