WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY

NO. 4 UCONN AT MARQUETTE

When: Wednesday, 8 p.m.

Where: Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee

Records: UConn (21-3, 13-0 Big East), Marquette (15-8, 8-6 Big East) TV: SNY

Radio: UConn Sports Network, WGCH 1490 AM (Greenwich), WAVZ 1300 AM (New Haven), WATR 1320 AM (Waterbury), 97.9 FM-ESPN

KEEP AN EYE ON

Road trip: The UConn women’s basketball team will play back-to-back road games for the final time this season this week, starting with traveling to Milwaukee to face Marquette on Wednesday.

The Huskies’ 14-game win streak was snapped on Sunday as they lost for the first time ever at home to South Carolina.

Despite playing with just eight available players compared to the Gamecocks’ 14, UConn kept within reach of the reigning champs until the final 10 seconds. While the loss marks UConn’s third straight to South Carolina, it showed the Huskies have what it takes to compete against the nation’s best players and teams.

The Huskies have just seven regularseason games left and will need to win out to keep their momentum high to earn a top seed in March’s NCAA Tournament.

Speaking of depth … coach Geno Auriemma said the team could get Carolina Ducharme back as early as this week. The sophomore guard has missed the last 11 games recovering from a concussion. Ducharme participated in pregame warmups with the team on Sunday for the first time since getting concussed. Auriemma said if she responds well to multiple complete practices in a row, she’ll be able to return.

“During the workouts, it goes pretty good and then afterward sometimes it’s not so good and sometimes it is good,” Auriemma said Sunday. “So, we’re trying to monitor that. And it’s really frustrating because you watch her out there and her range is even better than it’s ever been, her release is even quicker than it’s ever been.”

About Marquette: UConn last faced the Golden Eagles on New Year’s Eve, winning 61-48. Despite the final score, the Huskies struggled to pull away comfortably.

The Huskies were playing without Azzi Fudd (knee) and Aubrey Griffin (COVID-19). Marquette outscored UConn 12-9 in the second quarter and didn’t trail by double-figures until two minutes into the third quarter.

Grad transfer Lou Lopez Senechal led UConn with 22 points followed by Ducharme with 19 points and seven rebounds. Dorka Juhasz added 10 rebounds while Nika Muhl dished out six assists.

Since that meeting, the Golden Eagles have gone 6-3 with losses at then-No. 19 Villanova (Feb. 1, 73-54), at St. John’s ( Jan. 18, 66-61) and at Creighton ( Jan. 8, 68-42). Marquette is currently sixth in the Big East standings.

Marquette most recently beat Georgetown 66-49 on Saturday. Senior forward Joran King led with 23 points along with five assists and three rebounds. Chole Marotta recorded her seventh doubledouble of the season with 10 points and 13 rebounds. UConn is 16-0 all-time against Marquette.