Azzi Fudd Details How UConn Limited USC's Star Freshman
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UConn walked into Los Angeles undefeated, ranked No. 1, and facing a Southern California team that had not lost at home in 20 straight games. This is a matchup that has always carried weight, and the Huskies made sure that they established control early.
The match ended with UConn taking down 16th-ranked USC 79–51. They broke the Trojans’ streak and had brilliant defense. And one of the reasons the defense thrived was Azzi Fudd. Fudd finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, hit three three-pointers, and added four assists in 29 minutes.
Fudd also had to take on the assignment that was reserved for Paige Bueckers up until last season. She had to guard USC’s star player and freshman Jazzy Davidson. Fudd guarded her for long stretches of the first half, setting the defensive tone during the decisive run that broke the game open.
After USC briefly led 9–8, UConn turned it around with a 24–2 surge that stretched across quarters and buried the Trojans early. During that span, Davidson managed just one made field goal, a jumper late in the second quarter.
UConn led 39–17 at halftime, and USC had made only seven shots total. The Huskies’ defensive pressure never let Davidson find rhythm, space, or clean reads. When asked postgame about the challenge of guarding Davidson, Fudd had something interesting to say.
“Yeah, she’s super skilled. She knows how to score at all three levels. So I think really focusing on it, I mean, our coaches did a great job on the scout, so we took that really seriously, watching film, and kind of knowing what her tendencies are and what hand she likes more," said Fudd. "But I think we just stayed really disciplined today, and it was a team effort. It wasn’t just me. We switched so much, everyone ended up guarding her at some point. So I feel like really being connected on defense, understanding Jazzy and the rest of her team and everyone’s tendencies, and knowing how to guard each player while staying focused for a full 40 minutes."
That explanation lined up with how the game unfolded. Davidson finished with 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting, her lowest efficiency of the season. When she attacked off the dribble, UConn cut off angles. Switches were clean, and there were no breakdowns that allowed extended scoring runs.
Azzi Fudd tonight 🔥
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) December 14, 2025
• 17 points
• 4 assists
• 3 rebounds
• 3/6 3PM
• 6/11 FGpic.twitter.com/GgIwMWrZIq
Fudd also made quite the statement with her shot-making. The Huskies' shot-making punished USC whenever it packed the paint, and her decision-making helped UConn maintain pace even during USC’s brief third-quarter push.
While the Trojans outscored UConn 18–9 late in the third, the margin never dipped below 30, and the Huskies responded with another scoring burst to push the lead to as many as 39. Fudd gave Davidson her worst statistical night this season and showed the world why she might be the first pick next year.
Azzi Fudd Limits Jazzy Davidson, Strengthens Case as No. 1 Overall Pick
Against No. 16 USC, Fudd was central to holding the nation’s top-ranked freshman recruit, Davidson, to the roughest shooting performance of her young career. That stands out because Davidson had been productive almost every night leading up to the UConn game.
Davidson was coming in averaging 16 points a night and just played a 22-point, 12-rebound game against Washington. She has been consistent and even managed to replace Juju Watkins' production. Unfortunately, against UConn, that consistency disappeared.
Despite playing, Davidson finished with 3-of-13 shooting, turned the ball over twice, and never found a rhythm inside or out, marking her worst shooting performance of the season. And the reason for that downfall is Fudd.
We’ve talked plenty about Azzi Fudd’s three-point range and her efficiency on the offensive end, but her defense was just as impactful in this one. USC’s Jazzy Davidson finished with 10 points, but none of them came when she was matched up with Fudd. Davidson went 0-for-6 from… pic.twitter.com/Z3P9Xjt67w
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) December 14, 2025
Against USC, Fudd combined 17 points on 54.5 percent shooting with disciplined perimeter defense that forced tough attempts and early decisions. That two-way value is exactly why ESPN projects her as the No. 1 overall pick to the Dallas Wings.
As ESPN rightly put it, “Fudd has dealt with injuries in her career, but provided she stays healthy, she is an offensive standout who will be highly valued in the WNBA.” Meanwhile, Bleacher Report also puts Fudd at No.1 to the Wings.
CBS Sports, however, put Fudd at No. 4 to the Mystics.
“There are still questions about her ability to create her own offense, but she is one of the best pure shooters to ever enter the draft. The Mystics, who attempted a league-low 17.1 3-pointers per game last season, desperately need an outside threat,” writes CBS.
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-fd44250df32912986cc6690f0b8bfa32.png "Shivani Menon")
Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.