NCAAB News: Geno Auriemma isn't ready to give up on Azzi Fudd

It’s been an up-and-down season for UConn star Azzi Fudd. She sustained a knee injury that forced her to miss three consecutive games, and she was then thrown into the fire as a starter.

She took Ashlynn Shade’s spot against Providence, playing heavy minutes for the first time in quite a while. Unsurprisingly, she struggled with her shot, scoring just eight points on 27% from the floor.

Nevertheless, Huskies coach Geno Auriemma knows her senior guard is much better than that. Following the game, he stated that it’s just a matter of time before she’s back to her old ways.

Geno Auriemma expects Azzi Fudd to bounce back

“It’s good to get her back, good to get her out there and when she gets her legs under I think things will get even better,” the coach said. “I think athletes like routine, they like to know what’s next and how do I prepare for what’s next and when you’re not sure, it’s difficult.”

December 7, 2024, Brooklyn, New York, USA: UConn Huskies guard AZZI FUDD (35) looks on during the first half against the Louisville Cardinals.

Auriemma hoped to get her back in the starting lineup for good and no more setbacks. He knows how important she is to the offense, and it might be just a matter of shaking off the rust:

“Then you end up with more practice time than you actually do game time… hopefully it’s the last time we’ll have to go through anything like that. When she’s in the game, it’s always a threat, she might go four for four in a spurt and put the game away. So, it’ll come it’s just going to take a little bit of time,” the coach sustained.

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Injuries aside, Fudd has always been an impactful player, and her on-court rapport with Paige Bueckers could be instrumental in leading this team back to the mountaintop.