When Geno Auriemma’s players play unbidden, their combined talent is enough to make fans foam at the mouth with possibilities. However, the Huskies have been sidelined in the last several years, despite possessing big talents like Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. But even with both players on the mend, there is another name that an analyst thinks many are missing out on – Aubrey Griffin.

“This is certainly a UConn team that looks like they can be hoisting the Final trophy at the end of the season,” says former FOX Sports analyst Kim Adams. Speaking to NBC’s Got Next with Meghan McKeown and Zora Stephenson, Adams discussed how loaded this year’s roster looks. “Now when you’re looking down the list, it’s almost like Geno’s back to an embarassment of riches, where you’re looking down the roster like, how is he going to find minutes for all of these players?”

Fudd’s ACL tear took her out of last season after already playing sparingly since her freshman year. “When you think about Azzi Fudd coming back healthy. Even Aubrey Griffin, a player that people sometimes forget about, how much of an X-factor she is, an experienced player,” Adams continues. In the last season, Griffin averaged 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds across 35 games. In a total of 110 games played in her UConn career, the 6’1” redshirt senior has started 40 of them and accumulated a total of 916 points.

While she has that experience as the Got Next guest mentions, Aubrey Griffin is also one of the best wing defenders in the NCAA. While she may not be the best at three-pointers with a 24% average, her field goal percentage stands at a whopping 52.9 %. Matched with the returning class and new freshman, Adams says, “Last year’s freshman class all of a sudden had to play major minutes. They were players that were available in that March Madness run…there’s so many pieces.” And they’re poised to win.

But sadly, even Griffin wasn’t spared from the injury troubles that befell UConn. And coach Auriemma sympathized.

Geno Auriemma never thought of replacing Aubrey Griffin on the basketball court

In an impressive victory over Creighton in January, an awkward landing from Aubrey Griffin overshadowed the night. A key contributor in a season that had already seen too many players reduced to the sidelines because of injury, Griffin leaving was a huge blow.

“Aubrey’s had to overcome a lot,” Auriemma said in the post-game conference. “You just are heartbroken for a kid when it’s their last year and something like this happens.”

But he was also clear on the priorities the Huskies had, “The basketball part is actually really secondary, you try to say, ‘Wow, how are we going to replace her on the basketball court,’ I don’t think anybody thinks like that. It’s more the rest of your teammates knowing that you’re going to have to fight your way through this, and it’s not an easy one.”

But for both Aubrey Griffin and Paige Bueckers, this last season is their make-it-or-break-it season. But as Kim Adams said, this is an almost full roster of overflowing talent that has the potential to grab the championship trophy. Given that the injury bug doesn’t bite again, of course!