Although the Huskies just cruised to a big win, there’s some concern for one of their stars- yet again. Azzi Fudd made her much-anticipated return after an ACL injury but it seems like trouble is already knocking on her door again. Fudd wasn’t even in her best form yet, and in just her fourth game back, she’s battling another setback. This time, it’s a stomach issue.

Coach Geno Auriemma revealed that Fudd’s status was up in the air right up until game time, as they had to keep a close eye on how she was feeling. “Azzi’s been battling some stomach issues yesterday and today,” Geno said. “It was a game-time decision whether she was going to play at all. So we were monitoring her minutes really really well and how she was.”

Fudd put in 18 minutes for 7 points and a rebound — back to lessened minutes just as she was steadily raking in more, coming back from injury.

However, the head coach is positive, as that allowed many others to play more minutes than they normally would have. And despite Fudd’s struggles, UConn still pulled off an impressive 88-52 win over Holy Cross, with freshman Sarah Strong stepping up to score 22 points. 

She shot an incredible 9-for-12 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, and all of her points came in the second and third quarters. On top of that, #21 grabbed seven rebounds and picked up two steals. Then we have Kaitlyn Chen, who scored a season-high 14 points and dished out seven assists. 

Paige Bueckers, always solid, chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals. The first half was a bit slow, but UConn was locked in after halftime, outscoring the Crusaders 55-25 with a red-hot 64.7% shooting. 

The Huskies capitalized on turnovers, scoring 29 points off them, and their ball movement was on point with 27 assists on 35 made field goals. From the bench, KK Arnold and Morgan Cheli each added 8 points. All in all, a well-rounded, impressive win for UConn. However, the possibility of Azzi Fudd being benched in the next games due to her stomach issues, as the Huskies HC revealed in the postgame press conference, could be a big concern for UConn. 

But if we look on the brighter side, could it be something minor? Before this game, Coach Auriemma seemed quite hopeful about Fudd making it to the starting lineup. Fans were optimistic, as her minutes on the court were increasing with every game. 

Azzi Fudd: Closer to starting spot or another hurdle?

Coach Geno Auriemma was asked about the possibility of Azzi Fudd returning to the starting lineup for UConn, and he gave an intriguing answer. He gave a little wink and said, “I think that’s a good assumption.” 

That could mean she’s really close to cracking that starting spot, or that’s not at all on the cards. However, the potential 2025 WNBA draftee has been steadily climbing since making her season debut on November 20. The guard was not in the starting lineup until this game. But her minutes were creeping up game by game. 

She started off with just 12 minutes in her first game and then played 20 in the next. She played a season-high 28 minutes against Ole Miss, dropping 18 points in the process. However, in the recent Holy Cross game, she was one of the starters but played just 18 minutes. While the medical issue could be something small, any setback could derail UConn’s momentum. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how it all unfolds.