Azzi Fudd had a bit of a rocky start in the NCAA Tournament, but a simple tweak made all the difference. After scoring just seven points and struggling from beyond the arc, Fudd sought advice from UConn's legendary coach, Geno Auriemma.
His surprisingly specific suggestion? Trim her nails.
And it worked like a charm. With her newly filed nails, Fudd lit up the court against the Orange, racking up an impressive 26 points in the first half alone.
Fudd shared with ESPN's Holly Rowe, "I did, I trimmed them. I had a nail file yesterday before practice. I guess [Auriemma] was right, I had to cut my nails."
The game kicked off with Sarah Strong setting the tone for UConn. Answering Auriemma's call for more offensive aggression, she put up seven points in just the first two minutes. Fudd soon followed, starting with a layup and then expanding her range to dominate the court.
By halftime, Fudd was on fire, hitting 6-of-9 from three-point range. In an electrifying 2:20 stretch before the break, she scored 11 points with flawless shooting. Her performance was central to UConn's historically efficient first half, where they scored an astounding 1.91 points per possession, securing one of the largest halftime leads in the program's history.
Fudd credited her teammates and their teamwork, saying, "That's just how our offense is, my teammates are finding me and setting great screens. I think our defense is setting up a lot of our offense, so we're getting out in transition and my teammates are really finding me.”
This game was a testament to the power of small adjustments and teamwork, showcasing UConn's prowess and Fudd's potential as a future WNBA star.