Geno Auriemma Assesses Azzi Fudd's Injury Status Since UConn Star's USC Return
The UConn Huskies women's basketball team's most recent game came against the USC Trojans on December 21. Despite the contest being thrilling from start to finish, UConn ultimately came up short and lost to USC 72-70.
If there was any positive takeaway for Huskies fans in that defeat, it was that superstar Azzi Fudd made her return to the court for the first time since suffering a knee sprain during UConn's December 7 game against Louisville.
While Fudd did play in that USC game, it was in an extremely limited role, having come off the bench and playing just 8 minutes while not scoring any points and going 0-4 from the field.
It makes sense why Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma was cautious in bringing Fudd back to action, given that she's still fresh off returning from a torn ACL that kept her sidelined for almost all of the 2023-24 season.
When speaking with the media on December 28, Auriemma discussed easing Fudd back into action and assessed how this ongoing holiday break will benefit her.
"Certainly more so," Auriemma said when asked if Fudd is any readier since the USC game, per The UConn Daily. "Certainly more so than she was the other day.
"A couple of practices isn't really going to get you ready to play, so I think getting away and giving it an extra four or five days... I think all that, mentally, makes her a little more comfortable knowing that there has been enough time for it to be 100%," Auriemma continued.
Geno on Azzi’s availability and participation in practice over the last few days:
— Jake McCreven (@mccrevenjake) December 28, 2024
“Certainly more so.”
The team has practiced the last three days in a row. Practice ran long today.
It sounds like Fudd will be back to full health and in her regular role during UConn's game against Providence on Sunday.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.