The Guru Report: Fudd Leads No. 5 UConn to Upset of No. 3 Texas

By Noreen Dougherty

STORRS, Conn. — Azzi Fudd led No. 5 UConn to an 83-76 win over No. 3 Texas with her career-best 32-point performance Monday night at Gampel Pavilion. 

 

Fudd tallied 10 points in the first half but had trouble handling the ball as she racked up six turnovers. The guard went on to play all 20 minutes of the second half where she scored 22 points, 17 coming in the fourth quarter. 

 

When asked about the difference between her first and second half performances, Fudd responded, “I think we settled more in the second half. My teammates got me open, they set great screens that allowed me to score.”

 

The Arlington, Va. native ended the night shooting 61.9% (13-21) from the floor and 57.1% (4-7) from three-point range while adding four assists, a steal and a rebound to her stat line. 

 

“I don’t know how many players are capable of doing what she did tonight,” expressed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma. “It was like an NBA performance.” 

 

Fudd has scored 58 points over the first two games of the season, the most by any UConn player in the past 20 years.

 

Aubrey Griffin was the second-leading scorer for the Huskies with her 14 points off the bench. Nika Muhl tied her career-high nine assists while Dorka Juhasz led all players in the rebounding column with nine boards. 

 

The Huskies registered a field goal percentage of 55% (33-60) and a three-point percentage of 53.3% (8-15). Both teams shot a poor 50% from the foul line with UConn hitting 9-of-18 and Texas collecting 10-of-20.

UConn has another big game Sunday at 1 p.m. when No. 10 N.C. State visits over at the XL Center in Hartford on FS1.

The teams last met in an exciting game last spring down in Bridgeport in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament won by the Huskies to advance to the Women’s Final Four.

Texas meets Marquette Saturday in the Bahamas in the opening round of the three-day Battle4Atlantis.