11X National champ Geno Auriemma sets the record straight on Azzi Fudd after UConn win

UConn Huskies senior guard Azzi Fudd had her best game of the season against the Ole Miss Rebels in the final of the Baha Mar Hoops Championship game on Wednesday night. The Huskies won the game against the No. 18 Rebels quite convincingly, thanks in major part to Fudd's production and clutch scoring in the second half.

During the team's 73-60 win, Fudd played 28 minutes, contributing with a season-high 18 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block. She shot 8-11 from the field, including 1-3 from the 3-point line. She had two turnovers.

Her production came as a surprise since she only contributed with three and four points in her previous two outings against the Oregon State Beavers and the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights.

While it might be surprising for the rest of the world, the 11-time national champion coach Geno Auriemma always knew it was coming.

"Well, we knew at some point it was going to be comfortable for her," Auriemma told reporters after the game. "It just takes some time. I was even surprised at how comfortable and aggressive she was. But, you know, when you consider how hard she’s worked and how much time she’s put in, this is probably the best version of herself physically since her junior year in high school.

"I was just really happy to see her out there doing what she loves to do. And, you know, she made AZ FUD plays. People know she’s a great shooter, but I don’t think they realize what a terrific basketball player she is and how many different things she can do."

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Azzi Fudd upon finally making her first 3-pointer of the season coming off a torn ACL

Last November, Azzi Fudd went down with a torn ACL injury in her knee. Her return this season was nothing short of remarkable. A year later, she would return in the game against Fairleigh Dickinson with four points but missed making a 3-point shot off three attempts.

Next game against Oregon State Beavers, Fudd would finally make a 3-pointer in five attempts, giving her the best feeling, she ever felt.

“I was like, finally,” Fudd said in Nov. 27 article from the Hartford Courant's Emily Adams. “It felt amazing, but I was like, come on. It couldn’t have been the first one or the second one or the third one or the fourth one, but no, it was like the 25th one. But it felt amazing just it see it go in. It was a great feeling.”

“My body feels really great,” Fudd said of her return from injury. “I didn’t feel bad by any means after the first game, but I felt even better waking up this morning. I thought, since I played more minutes, I might be a little more sore. I don’t know if it’s the Bahamas weather, who knows, but I felt great this morning, I felt great today (at practice). So I’m really excited about how things are going."

With Fudd 3s rolling in action, one could only assume high aspirations from UConn Huskies with Paige Bueckers leading from the front.