Huskies’ Fudd out with foot injury
After her first four college games, UConn freshman guard Azzi Fudd is sidelined for at least the next two weeks.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Wednesday that Fudd “will not be playing for a while” due to an ongoing foot injury that’s only gotten worse. Fudd did not participate in practice on Wednesday and Auriemma said she will be reevaluated after two weeks.
The Huskies, coming off a loss to No. 1 South Carolina in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game, open their Big East schedule at Seton Hall Friday night. On Sunday, UConn hosts Notre Dame.
Fudd had 18 points in a victory over South Florida in the Bahamas. But she was limited to 10 minutes and was scoreless against South Carolina.
“(Fudd has) been waiting all this time to play and she tried playing through it and it’s just not working,” Auriemma said. “We did more studies, more MRIs and more film and more stuff and she’s not going to be playing for a while. There’s some kind of a beginning of a stress reaction or something. Best to be cautious. It’s a long season and even more importantly, it’s a long career for her.”
With Fudd out, UConn’s bench will need to step up. And while the backcourt
will be rearranged in Fudd’s absensce, the frontcourt is also likely to look different with the possible return of Aubrey Griffin this weekend.
Griffin, a junior, has yet to play this season due to an ankle injury. But Auriemma said she’s likely to see a few minutes this weekend.
“It’s not like we’re bringing experienced veteran players off the bench so that’s going to take some time to sort all that out,” Aureimma said. “Three things can happen when you go to your second group, they can add a lot, they can keep it the same or they can kill you. First two are acceptable. Three, I don’t like that.”
After much anticipation, Fudd dropped six 3-pointers in a breakout game against South Florida during the semifinals of the Bahamas tournament. She went 6-of-9 from deep in a season-high 27 minutes.
But she was limited a day later, missing her only shot against South Carolina.
Following UConn’s loss to the Gamecocks, Auriemma first attributed the freshman’s poor performance to South Carolina’s defensive attack. But he also hinted Fudd had been dealing with an ongoing foot injury.
A week later, the top recruit of the 2021 class was sidelined from practice and working out on a Peloton instead of participating in drills with the rest of the team.
“Her foot has been bothering her,” Auriemma said. “It didn’t look great, she’s not getting up and down the floor great. We’re trying to work at it and it’s something that has been bothering her since the summer and in September. She’s a really tough kid, right? She never wants to sit out, she thinks she can do anything.”
Word of Fudd’s injury came on the same day Fudd’s name, image and likeness deal with NBA star Seth Curry was announced. Fudd signed with Curry’s SC30 Inc. brand for a “multidimensional” partnership.
With Fudd out of the rotation, sophomore Nika Mühl figures to gain minutes. Mühl, who worked her way into the starting lineup last season, brings a high level of aggressiveness and experience.
Mühl has averaged 8.3 minutes per game so far this season, playing a career-low three minutes against both South Florida and South Carolina. The 5-foot-10 Croatian started 15 games for the Huskies last season but has fallen to the third option on the bench this season due to UConn’s newcomers.
In the first four games, Mühl only scored against Minnesota (four points).
Auriemma’s other option in replacing Fudd is fellow freshman Caroline Ducharme. Ducharme, the No. 5 recruit in the Class of 2021, has played three games and had a season-high four points with two rebounds, one block, and one steal in 12 minutes against Minnesota
While Auriemma has previously praised Ducharme’s adjustment to the college level, she has yet to experience meaningful minutes like Fudd and Mühl and has been on the floor in less pressurized situations.
“Sometimes that’s good. Sometimes added pressure is not good, but that certainly means more playing time for them for sure,” Auriemma said. “It means more opportunities for them. We’re asking more of them. And they both can do it, obviously, they’re both capable. Nika showed us last year and Caroline has shown us pretty much every day in practice. But that has not transferred over yet to games, but it will.”
On a more positive note, the team’s frontcourt group will be able to spread out minutes with Griffin’s return.
As a sophomore last season, Griffin averaged 6.2 points, 4.8 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game and finished third on the team with 23 blocks and 55 offensive rebounds. Having the 6-1 forward back will provide rest for starters Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards and give the Huskies another weapon underneath the basket.
While Auriemma said it’s likely Griffin will see the court this weekend, the staff will go by how she feels to determine how many minutes she’ll play in either of UConn’s two games. Outside of the ankle injury (a high sprain), she has also been dealing with an ongoing chronic back injury.
“Attacking, slashing kind of guy that we are missing,” Auriemma said. “She’s a much better shooter, standup shooter from the 3-point line than people recognize. I don’t think there is any area where she doesn’t help us.”