The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Huskies need to beat fatigue in last two games
Six weeks ago, on Jan. 11, UConn women’s basketball beat St. John’s by 30 points.
The Huskies returned both Azzi Fudd (knee) and Geno Auriemma (personal absence) and looked like they had turned the corner after starting the season again boggled down by injuries and absences. UConn shot a season-high 62.3 percent from the field against the Red Storm that January night in Elmont, N.Y.
Yet, when the teams met again Tuesday night in Hartford, it was an opposite scene.
The No. 4-ranked Huskies fell 69-64 to St. John’s thanks to a season-low 35.5 field goal percentage. Fudd was back on the bench dressed in street clothes, out indefinitely after reinjuring her knee. St. John’s outplayed the Huskies in nearly every facet, including its bench outscoring UConn’s 29-3.
UConn point guard Nika Mühl said the team had emotions of “anger, embarrassment and disappointment” after the game.
UConn’s spot atop the Big East standings and its possibility of becoming a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is now at risk with only two regular-season games remaining (Saturday at DePaul, Monday against Xavier).
But it’s not just Tuesday’s loss to blame for the Huskies’ (24-5, 16-2 Big East) recent deflation. There’s also a combination of a lack of depth, physical and mental exhaustion, and too many self-inflicted wounds, as Auriemma puts it.
“That’s the frustrating part,” he said. “You know coaches are supposed to have all the answers, but this is one of those years where it’s always in the back of your mind even when you know you’re playing great and everything’s going great, shots are dropping, you know, people are really confident. You always know in the back of your mind that this can’t last. It’s not sustainable.”
Only two of UConn’s 10 active players this season have started and played in every game. Caroline Ducharme missed a combined 15 games this season, first with neck stiff