UConn’s Stars Get Extended Run as Geno Auriemma Ramps Up for March
On a night when UConn cruised past Georgetown with an 83-42 win, the scoreboard said blowout - but Geno Auriemma saw something else. Despite holding a 32-point lead entering the fourth quarter, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong were still on the floor.
Not celebrating from the bench. Not cooling down with towels over their shoulders.
Still competing.
And that wasn’t by accident.
UConn’s third quarter was, by their standards, a mess. After a scorching second frame where they shot 62% from the field and drilled five threes, the Huskies stumbled out of the break.
They managed just 4-of-15 shooting, coughed up three turnovers, and barely outscored Georgetown 9-8. It wasn’t about the score - it was about the rhythm, or lack thereof.
That’s why Auriemma kept Fudd and Strong in. Not as a punishment, but as a reset.
He saw the frustration setting in - two points, two turnovers, and a combined 1-for-10 shooting between them in the third. So he gave them space to play through it, to recalibrate on the court instead of stewing on the bench.
“They were really pressing a little bit because shots weren't going in for them,” Auriemma said. “I thought if I could just give them a couple more minutes to find their way out of it, that was mainly it.”
And they responded. Fudd went a perfect 2-for-2 in the fourth, adding five points in just five minutes. Strong chipped in two points and dished out a pair of assists, showing the kind of poise Auriemma was looking for.
This wasn’t just about salvaging a quarter. It was about preparing for what’s coming.
With March looming, Auriemma is clearly shifting gears. Fudd and Strong - two of UConn’s most important pieces - are seeing their minutes tick upward.
Through the first six Big East games, both were averaging just under 24 minutes per contest. Over the last four?
That number has jumped to 28.5. And Thursday marked the first time either one cracked the 30-minute mark in conference play.
It’s a clear sign of what’s ahead. In the NCAA Tournament, especially in the later rounds, UConn’s stars won’t have the luxury of long rests.
Auriemma knows that. He’s seen what it takes to go deep in March, and he’s building that stamina now.
“I’m trying to get them around the 30-minute mark every game,” he said. “If I don’t, I don’t think I’m being fair to them, and I’m also getting them ready for the postseason.”
Fudd, in particular, has already proven she can handle the load. She’s logged 35+ minutes in all three of UConn’s matchups with top-10 opponents - Louisville, Michigan, and Iowa. Strong, too, has shown she can carry the weight, playing all 40 minutes in that nail-biting win over Michigan.
And they’ll need to be ready again soon. UConn’s next test comes quicker than expected, with a matchup against Seton Hall moved up 24 hours due to a winter storm.
The Huskies already handled the Pirates once this season, rolling to an 84-48 win in Hartford. Fudd and Strong combined for 34 points in that game - and they only played 25 minutes each.
But the real focus now isn’t the opponent. It’s UConn’s own form - and more specifically, their shooting from beyond the arc.
Despite ranking second nationally in 3-point percentage at 39%, the Huskies have hit a cold patch. Over the last three games, they’ve posted three of their four worst outings from deep all season, connecting on just 27.4% combined.
Fudd, typically the engine behind UConn’s perimeter game, has felt it too. She went 0-for-4 from three against Notre Dame and started 0-for-7 at Georgetown before finishing 3-for-12. But even when the shots aren’t falling, she’s still finding ways to impact the game.
Against the Hoyas, Fudd led the team in assists with five, pulled down six rebounds, grabbed two steals, and added a block. Over the last three games, she’s shooting 70% inside the arc - a sign of a player adapting her game, not shrinking from the moment.
“She’s not shot the ball the way she’s normally shot,” Auriemma said. “When she was younger, I think it would get to her… Right now, she’s found a lot of other things to do on the floor. I think she’s expanded her vision of who she is as a player.”
That’s the kind of growth that matters in March. Not just the hot shooting nights, but the ability to stay locked in when they aren’t. Fudd may not have been thrilled with her 3-for-12 line from deep, but she walked off the court knowing she still had a “tremendous game otherwise.”
With the postseason creeping closer, UConn isn’t just chasing wins - they’re building habits. Thursday night’s blowout in D.C. might not have been close, but for Auriemma and his stars, it was another step toward the bigger picture.