Huskies Report

WATCH: UConn Champions Serve at Raising Cane's Upon Return Home

UConn Huskies and newly-minted women's basketball champions KK Arnold and Azzi Fudd got right back to work after bringing another national title home to Storrs.
Geoff Maggliocchetti|
Photo: Courtesy of Raising Cane's

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UConn Huskies

ENFIELD-KK Arnold and Azzi Fudd are often tasked with preventing drive-throughs for the Connecticut Huskies' women's basketball team. The drive-thru, on the other hand, is a different story entirely.

Arnold and Fudd were put right back to work upon returning home to Connecticut, as the two received a heroines' welcome at a Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers establishment in Enfield on Wednesday.

The duo took over the restaurant's counter and drive-thru, servicing fans who offered their congratulations and gratitude for their performance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, which ended with UConn on top for the 12th occasion.

"I love Canes and I love their food," Arnold said when asked what made the chicken chain the perfect partner to team up with in the NIL era. "I feel like it just matches my personality, these chicken tenders, these fries."

"I don't really have a much at home, but I know they have it in Minnesota," the Virginia native Fudd added, referencing her family's frequent vacation destination. "To have one open up, not super close to campus, but close enough to be able to drive too, that's great."

During their stay at the Enfield branch, Arnold and Fudd filmed several promos involving the chain's trademark chicken fingers and regaled their adoring public with a "UConn" chant before taking their leave.

Considering their prowess undeniably lies on the hardwood and not in acting, the pair of Huskies needed a few in-game adjustments but those gathered were more than understanding. Fudd's lines referenced her Most Outstanding Player effort in the tournament, which saw her average 17.5 points and 3.0 steals in the six-game trek for the twelfth. Some UConn fans on social media found humor in the Huskies taking over a chicken restaurant in the wake of downing the South Carolina Gamecocks in Sunday's championship finale.

Work on adding a 13th title to Storrs' trophy case will begin soon enough but a well-deserved rest provided both a lucrative NIL opportunity and a chance to connect with the Connecticut community.

"We surround ourselves with great people, great staff, the team," Fudd said. Everyone in the UConn program, in the building, they support us. We we keep track of what's really important. We don't get outside of ourselves, we don't let outside distractions affect us. We're an incredible position right now and so be able to be supposed to be spokespeople like that, that's pretty incredible and an honor."

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGGLIOCCHETTI

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