UConn women’s basketball will be without star guard Azzi Fudd for the next 3-6 weeks.
The team announced Tuesday that Fudd suffered a knee injury in the 70-64 loss to No. 5 Notre Dame.
No specifics were given on the nature of the knee injury, but she had a collision with teammate Aaliyah Edwards late in the first quarter and didn’t play in the second half. Head coach Geno Auriemma said postgame that she didn’t return as a precaution, but then Fudd had an MRI Monday that confirmed the injury.
With graduate forward Dorka Juhasz’s return from a broken thumb still up in the air, this leaves UConn with just eight healthy players available. Just four of those are guards: Nika Mühl, Caroline Ducharme, Lou Lopez Sénéchal and Inês Bettencourt.
This is yet another tough blow for the No. 6 Huskies after dealing with injuries throughout the 2021-22 season. Injuries have been an issue throughout this season as well, with superstar Paige Bueckers (ACL tear) and freshman forward Ice Brady (dislocated patella) suffering season-ending injuries in August and October, respectively. Caroline Ducharme also missed games due to neck stiffness over the first month of the season.
Fudd had stepped up in Bueckers absence as UConn’s go-to scorer, making a huge leap to start her sophomore year. Prior to Sunday’s loss, she was averaging 24 points, 2.8 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game.
Injury issues aren’t new to Fudd, and she was one of the many Husky players that missed time last season. She had a lingering foot injury that kept her out 11 games and hampered her movement when she was on the floor. Back in high school, Fudd tore the ACL and MCL in her right knee.
The provided timeline of three to six weeks would put Fudd’s return between Dec. 28 at No. 18 Creighton and Jan. 15 vs. Georgetown. Fudd will be monitored by the UConn Sports Medicine staff throughout her recovery.
