UConn: Fudd (knee) would miss 3-6 weeks

UConn women’s basketball sophomore, is expected to Azzi Fuddwill miss three to six weeks with a right knee injury suffered in the first quarter of the Huskies’ loss to Notre Dame on Sunday, UConn announced Tuesday.

Fudd underwent an evaluation Monday and an MRI confirmed the injury.

Fudd left the game after a teammate fell to her right knee, briefly going to the locker room before returning to the game for four minutes. She didn’t play in the second half, which coach Geno Auriemma said at the time was a precaution.

Fudd, who was a National Player of the Year candidate averaging 24.0 points per game before the Huskies matchup, has had a history of bad luck with injuries: She tore her medial collateral ligament and ACL. from his right knee in April 2019, while he was still in high school. During her first season with UConn, a foot injury sidelined her for 11 games between December and January.

UConn no longer has the 2020-21 National Player of the Year paige bueckers (LCA) for the season, nor with the freshman ice brady (dislocated kneecap). It seems to be expected dorka juhasza grad student, will be back soon, but he has missed the last five games with a broken thumb.

Auriemma knows her short-staffed Huskies face real adversity, but they’re not about to wave the white flag this early in the season.

“You don’t win or lose national championships on December 4,” Auriemma said Sunday. “But you can figure out what might help you earn one in the future, or might prevent you from earning one in the future.”

Former No. 3 UConn was 6-0 entering the contest on Sunday before Fudd went down, ultimately losing to then-No. 7 Notre Dame in South Bend 74-60. The Huskies fell to No. 6 in the latest AP poll and face Princeton, No. 20 Maryland and Florida State before heading into conference action.

After that, UConn has two non-conference games left in the new year: Jan. 26 at Tennessee and Feb. 5 against No. 1 and defending champion South Carolina in Connecticut. If Fudd’s recovery timeline sticks to between three and six weeks, he could return to the team for those matchups.