Seems like the first loss of their season really hit the UConn Huskies hard. After dropping their highly anticipated matchup with Notre Dame, they came out swinging in their next game. The best part has to be that they didn’t just reflect on what went wrong; they learned from their mistakes and implemented changes immediately. And it worked. Geno Auriemma’s squad shut down one of the Big East’s biggest scoring threats, Kelsey Ransom.

They held her to just seven points in their Big East opener against Georgetown. How’d they do it? Geno reveals all. “You know, we’re trying to make a point that players are much easier to guard when they don’t have the ball than after they get it, especially good offensive players,” he said.

He added that their focus was limiting the touches and covering her right. “Making sure that we had the right coverage, which we didn’t do such a great job of that in our previous game,” the coach admitted. It’s clear that Geno and Co. were laser-focused on stopping the ball early in the possession, something they didn’t do well enough in their loss to Notre Dame, particularly when defending Hannah Hidalgo.

In that Notre Dame game, it was all about the Huskies’ defense or, rather, the lack of it. The team couldn’t keep up with the explosive Hidalgo, who lit them up for 29 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. After the game, Paige Bueckers didn’t hold back when she talked about Hidalgo’s impact. 

“Notre Dame has a lot of outstanding players, but Hannah is obviously the head of the snake,” Bueckers said. “She does a lot of great things offensively and defensively. She’s a pest.” The “pest” comment stuck, as Hidalgo’s energy translated into her 29-point performance, seemed to fuel Notre Dame’s victory over the Huskies.

But this time, UConn didn’t make the same mistake. They came into their game against Georgetown with a new game plan, and they executed it perfectly. The Huskies focused on limiting Kelsey Ransom’s touches, and it paid off. Ransom, who had been averaging 21.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, finished with just seven points, shooting 2-of-9 from the field. 

The Huskies also did a fantastic job of protecting the ball, scoring 25 points off Georgetown’s 19 turnovers, while Georgetown only managed to score two points off UConn’s nine turnovers. Defensively, UConn’s improved coverage was evident as they locked down on Ransom.

As Geno put it during the postgame press conference, “I thought Kaitlyn and KK, especially those two, I thought did a terrific job defensively.” And that’s a huge part of why the Huskies cruised to a 79-44 victory. This defensive performance against a player like Ransom is no small feat. 

Last year, Ransom was named to the First Team All-BIG EAST and was consistently recognized with multiple weekly honors. She ranked in the top four in the Big East in assists, steals, and minutes played. So, for UConn to shut her down the way they did is a testament. However, it’s worth noting that UConn’s star player, Azzi Fudd, was once again sidelined due to injury.

Azzi Fudd Still Out, Geno Auriemma updates on her injury

Unfortunately for UConn fans, their star guard, Azzi Fudd, wasn’t on the floor for the Georgetown game, nor was she there for the Notre Dame loss. Fudd, who has had a challenging injury history, was confirmed out of the game just before tip-off. 

UConn insider Daniel Connolly shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Fudd wasn’t warming up with the team pregame, signaling she wouldn’t be available for the Big East opener. The absence of Fudd was definitely felt.

The NCAA winningest coach had provided some updates on Fudd’s injury, confirming that she had sprained her right knee during a game against Louisville and would likely be out for the week. He shared some positive news, however, saying that Fudd’s knee injury wasn’t as severe as the ones she’d dealt with in the past. 

“It’s probably the first good news I’ve ever gotten from Dr. Coyner (UConn’s Orthopedic Physician). She was so excited she couldn’t wait to tell me,” Auriemma said. Now, fans are certainly hoping that Fudd can return to the lineup soon. Let’s hope the team doesn’t face any more setbacks, and when #35 does return, she’ll be fully healthy and ready to contribute.