UConn sophomore guard Azzi Fudd will likely miss between three and six weeks of action after suffering a right knee injury in a game against then-No. 7 Notre Dame at the Jimmy V Classic, the team announced Tuesday. Fudd underwent an evaluation on Monday and an MRI confirmed the injury.
This is becoming a familiar situation for the Huskies, as they had an injury plagued campaign last season and were already competing this fall without star player Paige Bueckers, who suffered a torn ACL during the offseason.
Head coach Geno Auriemma told CBS Sports ahead of the season that he expected her to take on a big role in Bueckers' absence, and Fudd was certainly stepping up. Before this injury, Fudd was leading the team's offense with 20.6 points per game on 53.3% shooting from the field and 42.6% from 3-point range.
Fudd appeared to get hurt when a teammate fell on her during Sunday's game. She went to the locker room but eventually went back on the court. That second outing only lasted four minutes. Auriemma subbed her out and she spent the rest of the game on the bench.
"She tried to go again, but obviously it didn't look like she could move," Auriemma said about Fudd after the game. "So rather than take any chances I figured we should take some precautions instead."
The Huskies, who entered the game ranked No. 3, ended up losing 60-74, which became UConn's first loss of the season. That result helped the Irish snap a seven-game losing streak against UConn in regular-season play. It was their first win since a triple-overtime game in March 2013.
Notre Dame moved up to No. 5 in the AP poll this week while the Huskies dropped to No. 6. UConn will be back on the court on Thursday as they host the Princeton Tigers.
