Learn dabs her way to the Big Dance
WBB: The senior forward is averaging 13.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game this year
If you’ve seen Murray State senior Ava Learn hit a three-pointer in the last several weeks, you’ve seen her punctuate each basket with a point toward the bench and a ‘dab’. If you’ve missed it, here’s visual proof:
While my kids told me the dab was dead five years ago, Learn wildly disagrees.
“There was definitely a lull in the season where I did not make any threes for probably two or three games, and it was very upsetting because I'd worked so hard on it,” Learn said. “Two of the girls (on the team) that I'm really good friends with, Adriana (Blazquez) and Ada (Koelling), we were talking and they were just messing around. They're like, ‘Oh, if you make a three, just do a celebration.’ I'm like, ‘Well, I can't do much or you get a technical.’ Then I was like, ‘I'll just point to the bench.’ I think it was the next day, I dabbed, because I was like, ‘We need to bring the dab back.’ Come on, it's been too long.”
“I said (to her), ‘That actually is closer to my age than yours with the dabs,’” Murray State Head Coach Rechelle Turner said with a laugh. “She said, ‘Well, I'm bringing it back.’ I said, ‘Honey, you can dab as many times (as you want). I love it.’ I just think that's Ava. I could write a book on Ava. She is a tremendous personality. Sweet, kindhearted, but she is from New York, and she will say just about anything — and I'm saying that in the kindest of ways, but she keeps me on my toes. She makes sure that my outfits match and everything's good. But the relationship that I have with Ava is something that I will cherish forever, because there is a special bond there that I don’t think people understand.”
Learn did plenty of dabbing in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, as she made 6-of-10 three-pointers in the three games in Evansville. After going 1-for-21 in her first three college seasons from beyond the arc, Learn is now making 39.5% (34-for-86) from deep. She is the only player this season in the country averaging at least 13.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and shooting 39.5% from three-point range. Her ability to knock down shots this year actually makes Learn emotional.
“It brings me to tears every time I think about it,” Learn said. “In high school and growing up, I was always the shooting guard. I was always just that big girl who stood on the three point line and just shot. My freshman year (at Purdue), I was the shooter for the team. Unfortunately, COVID happened, and (Purdue coaches) basically told me the only way I'm going to play is to be a post player. When I came to (Murray State), I was like, ‘Coach Turner, I'll be the post. I'll be whatever you need me to do, but please give me the chance to work on my three-pointer and do what I can to be able to shoot at least one three pointer before I graduate.’ (Last) season came along and it wasn't looking too good, but I was making those 17 or 18-footers. I was like, ‘You know what? This is close enough. I'll work on it in the summertime.’ Summertime came and I swear I was in that gym probably three to four times a week. I would just shoot, shoot, shoot with the shooting coach. All I would do is work on my three-point shot. I don't shoot a lot because it's not the major part of my game anymore. It's just something like, ‘OK, if you leave me open, I'm going to burn you. You can't leave me open.’ I’ve got to shoot it. I'm just so happy that I've been able to bring that back into my game, because I just feel complete again as a player.”
As much as she has improved her perimeter shooting this season, Learn’s greatest asset is her rebounding. Here’s a look at the best rebounding seasons in Murray State history:
375 - Jackie Mounts (1978-79)
342 - Evelyn Adebayo (2018-19)
335 - Jackie Mounts (1976-77)
335 - Jackie Mounts (1977-78)
311 - Ava Learn (2024-25) … and counting
It’s hard to believe any Racer could put together a rebounding season like Learn has, but Turner has been a believer from the beginning.
“She is becoming what I thought and knew she could be,” Turner said. “She is a tremendous athlete. Rebounding is not something that everybody can do. Rebounding is about reaction. Rebounding is about angles, and rebounding is about want to. She does all that. She beats people to the basketball. She's the best out-of-area rebounder that I've ever coached. Sometimes when I'm watching film, I will just slo-mo her just going up and over everybody and just cupping it and just bringing it back down. That is uncharacteristic in women's basketball, and it is definitely uncharacteristic in the Missouri Valley Conference. We just don't have that type of athletes. Part of Ava's emergence into being such a great rebounder is because she was challenged, and she's not going to let you down. If you tell her to get every rebound, she's going to try to get every rebound. The thing about her is she's so coachable, and she works hard and she focuses on the rebounding. The rebounding focus gets her going offensively and defensively in the game.”
In December against Saint Louis, with Katelyn Young in early foul trouble, in so many words, Turner told Learn to go get every rebound. Learn ended up with a career high 17 boards in the win over the Billikens. So far this year, she has double-digit rebounds in 15 different games, and she has taken that ‘Get Every Rebound’ mantra to heart.
“She says it to me before every game, and she'll say it to me usually at least once or twice during the games,” Learn said. “I think it's because she knows the team needs these rebounds. I think she knows that, for me, rebounding is how I get into the game, how I contribute to the game, how I really get going in any game, no matter what. I'm just doing whatever I can to help the team.”
As a sophomore at Purdue, Learn got a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament, as the Boilermakers fell in the First Four to St. John’s. She is the only Racer to have experience playing in this tournament, and her advice to her teammates will be simple.
“I say, ‘Just take it in,’” Learn said. “I definitely think that Iowa is a very good matchup for us, and I think it could be a very good game. I'm excited for it. I'm very excited it's in Oklahoma. I have family there, so they'll be able to come. I think just take it in. I just think it's something that not every basketball player gets to experience, and it's something that anyone who wants to play in college, all they think about is making it to the tournament. Once you're in the tournament, it's true what they say — it's 0-0.”
Murray State will play Iowa at 11:00am on Saturday morning in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The game will air on ESPN.
LET’S GO AVA!!!!!