Huskies Report

UConn's Azzi Fudd Must Make One Key Adjustment

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma pointed to one area Azzi Fudd still needs to improve, despite her double-digit performance against Notre Dame.
Shivani Menon|
Jan 15, 2026; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) on the court against the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Jan 15, 2026; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) on the court against the Villanova Wildcats in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

In this story:

UConn Huskies

The UConn Huskies took down Notre Dame with ease in their latest matchup, winning the contest 85–47. With that win, the Huskies are 19-0 this season. Sarah Strong made 18 points, KK Arnold had 12 points and star guard Azzi Fudd added 15. 

Despite the 15-point outing, Geno Auriemma’s postgame takeaway focused on areas where Fudd could do more.

As Auriemma sees it, “From Azzi’s point of view, you have to make sure that you stay aggressive. You stay constantly searching for more shots, more shots, more opportunities. And to her credit, she didn’t shoot the ball great from the perimeter, but she stayed in that aggressive mode and played a really solid defensive game.” 

UConn’s third-quarter run, when the Huskies ripped off an 18–2 stretch to put the game away. Notre Dame briefly made things interesting late in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 32–23 after Hannah Hidalgo scored 10 points in a short burst. Hidalgo finished 5-of-15, and Fudd was part of the defense that caused the drop. 

“That’s the nature of shooters. You don’t know why sometimes they all go in, and you think, ‘Yeah, because I’m a great shooter.’ Then when they don’t go in, you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m not a basketball player.’ So you just have to stay with it. I liked that she got into the lane and found other ways to score besides relying on her three-ball. And I thought defensively, she impacted the game. That’s what really good players do," Auriemma added. "The real sign is whether you can impact the game when it’s not your best day,”

Fudd’s stats back Auriemma up. Through 18 games, she’s averaging 7.6 points, shooting 54.8 percent from the field and contributing 4.8 assists per game while keeping turnovers low. Her efficiency has climbed, her decision-making has gotten better, and her defensive engagement has been consistent.

What’s Next for the UConn Huskies?

The Huskies next head to Washington, D.C., to face Georgetown. UConn is 52–2 in all-time series against Georgetown, has won 40 straight in the series, and took a 73–55 road win earlier this month. The Huskies are ranked in the AP Poll at number one yet again, and likely expect their dominance to continue. Though, as Auriemma said, they'll have to stay focused and play through even their worst days to stay at the top.

The schedule tightens immediately after. A stretch featuring Seton Hall, Xavier, Tennessee, DePaul, Creighton, Marquette, Villanova and another Georgetown meeting will test consistency.

Don't forget to bookmark UConn Huskies on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more

Published
Shivani Menon
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.

Home/Basketball