The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
NO. 4 UCONN AT GEORGETOWN
When: Saturday, 5 p.m.
Where: Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington D.C. (home of the WNBA’s Washington Mysitcs)
Records: UConn (21-4, 13-1 Big East), Georgetown (12-12, 5-10)
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
Avoiding the trifecta: The Huskies saw their nearly 30-year streak of avoiding back-to-back losses end on Wednesday with a loss at Marquette following a defeat to South Carolina on Sunday. A similar streak will be on the line Saturday as the program hasn’t lost three-straight games since February 1993.
The Huskies have only lost three or more straight games five times under Geno Auriemma — all between his first season in 1985 through 1993.
If UConn losses a third-straight, it will have consequences in its current standing in the Big East and in the AP Top 25 Ranking. Plus, it will likely hinder its resume for NCAA Tournament seeding.
So, what do the Huskies need to avoid that?
Most importantly, they need more available bodies. The Huskies have played with only eight players the past six games.
Injury updates: Auriemma said Sunday that Caroline Ducharme (concussion) was getting closer to returning and could play in a game as early as this week. However, the sophomore guard sat out Wednesday, still wearing earplugs on the sideline. Additionally, there has yet to be an update on Azzi Fudd’s (knee) return timeline either.
UConn also needs more shooters back on the floor. Both Ducharme and Fudd open up the offense and that’s what the Huskies need most with teams now targeting Lou Lopez Sénéchal and preventing her from shooting 3-pointers.
The Huskies last faced Georgetown on Jan. 15 and pulled out a 65-50 win despite not having Fudd available for the second half. Fudd, then in her second game back after sitting out eight with her initial knee injury, came off the bench and played for 12 minutes before reinjuring her knee and taking a seat on the bench.
UConn finished the game with just seven available players as both Ducharme and Ayanna Patterson were unavailable due to concussions.
Scouting the Hoyas: The Hoyas come into Saturday’s meeting in eighth place in the Big East standings. Georgetown is also on a two-game losing streak and has lost three of its last four games, including an 82-53 loss to Villanova Wednesday.
In the teams’ first meeting, Georgetown was able to keep the Huskies’ scoreless for over six minutes in the first quarter while force seven turnovers. However, UConn opened the second half on a 20-3 run to seal the victory.
The Hoyas have gone 4-3 with wins over DePaul (87-73), Providence (61-51), Seton Hall (74-66) and Xavier (44-41). Georgetown also lost at Marquette 66-49 on Feb. 4.
UConn is 50-6 all time over the Hoyas. Georgetown’s last win over UConn came on Feb. 27, 1993 in D.C. That loss (64-62) was the third of the Huskies’ most recent string of three-straight losses (UConn lost 68-54 to Stanford on Feb. 20 and then 76-74 at Pittsburgh on Feb. 24 before meeting the Hoyas).
Connecticut connection: Georgetown freshman Morgan Lee hails from Kent and is a former four-year starter for Kent School. Lee has appeared in 14 games so far this season for the Hoyas averaging 0.5 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.1 assists in 4.4 minutes per game. She played for two minutes against UConn last month and scored two points.