Huskies Overcome Nearly 8-Minute Scoring Drought; Fudd’s Clutch Free Throws Seal Victory in Naismith Hall of Fame Showcase; Auriemma: “Michigan’s Way Too Much Like Us”
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Azzi Fudd scored 31 points and hit six clutch free throws in the final 22 seconds, and Sarah Strong added 16 points and 20 rebounds to lead top-ranked UConn to a 72-69 victory over sixth-ranked Michigan on Friday night in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Fudd’s career-high 31 points came on 9-of-20 shooting, including 7-of-12 from three-point range, and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. The junior guard from Macomb, Michigan, ended a nearly eight-minute UConn scoring drought in the fourth quarter with a three-pointer that sparked a personal 9-0 run and restored a double-digit lead for the Huskies.
Strong’s 20 rebounds tied a career high and marked one of the most dominant rebounding performances by a UConn player in recent memory. The freshman forward also contributed six assists, four blocks, and three steals in a complete 40-minute performance that set the tone early and kept UConn (5-0) in control despite Michigan’s furious second-half rally.
Michigan (4-1) used a 13-0 run to cut UConn’s 17-point lead to 49-45 heading into the fourth quarter, and the Wolverines refused to go away in a thrilling final period that featured multiple momentum swings and clutch shot-making from both teams.
Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma admitted he knew the game would be a battle from the start.
“I knew going in this was not going to be easy,” Auriemma said. “I didn’t sleep well last night. Pit in my stomach the entire day. I knew this was going to be hard because they’re good. They’re very, very, very good.”
UConn Dominates Early, Michigan Adjusts
UConn jumped all over Michigan early, building a 22-5 lead after one quarter and extending it to 45-27 at halftime. Strong set the tone with six points, nine rebounds, and three blocks in the first 10 minutes as the Huskies’ defensive pressure forced Michigan into uncomfortable possessions.
“When we started the game, we forced them to play maybe a little quicker than they wanted to,” Auriemma said. “Take some shots that were maybe a little quicker than they wanted to be. That helped us get out in transition more.”
UConn shot 42.1% (8-of-19) from the field in the first quarter and 50% (9-of-18) in the second, while Michigan struggled to just 10% (2-of-20) in the opening period. Fudd took over in the second quarter, scoring 13 points to help the Huskies build their 18-point halftime advantage.
But Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico made critical halftime adjustments, switching to a zone defense that slowed UConn’s offensive flow and allowed the Wolverines to claw back into the game.
“They made us play a little bit slower in the second half,” Auriemma said. “I think we became tentative. I thought they did a good job of running their offense and making us stay on defense a little bit longer.”
Michigan’s zone defense proved particularly effective in the third quarter, when UConn managed just four points on 2-of-15 shooting (13.3%) and went 0-for-6 from three-point range.
“They were having a problem guarding us man-to-man, and they weren’t scoring,” Auriemma explained. “So those two things—one, zero. They started to score, so that allowed them to have the luxury of being able to set up their zone.”
The Wolverines capitalized on UConn’s offensive struggles, using a 13-0 run fueled by Syla Swords‘ hot shooting from beyond the arc to pull within 49-45 heading into the fourth quarter.
“Shots that we had that we were willing to take in the first half, some guys were a little hesitant,” Auriemma said. “And next thing you know, against a really good team, if they get enough opportunities, they’re going to convert on those.”
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Fudd Takes Over in Fourth Quarter
With UConn’s lead down to 47-49 early in the fourth quarter and the Huskies mired in a nearly eight-minute scoring drought, Fudd took matters into her own hands.
The junior guard hit a three-pointer at the 8:21 mark to push the lead to 52-47, then added another three at 6:00 to make it 55-47. After Michigan cut the deficit to 58-49, Fudd hit her third consecutive three-pointer at 5:08 to extend the lead to 58-47 and complete a personal 9-0 run.
“I think there’s a lot on her shoulders right now,” Auriemma said of Fudd. “AZ is the one that we know if we get her enough touches, something good’s going to happen. Some nights you’re just going to have to do more on your own. I thought tonight she did a lot of it on her own.”
Fudd’s clutch shooting came at a critical moment when UConn desperately needed a spark.
“Once you get a good player, once they get going and they can feel it and the team has a certain momentum, they just need an opportunity to shoot, and there’s a pretty good chance it’s going to go in,” Auriemma said.
But Michigan wasn’t finished. Swords hit a three-pointer with 22.2 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 68-66, and the Wolverines immediately fouled Fudd. The guard calmly stepped to the line and hit both free throws to restore a two-possession lead at 70-66.
Swords answered again with a deep three-pointer with about 12 seconds left to make it 70-69, but Fudd was fouled once more with 7.6 seconds remaining. She hit both free throws to push the lead to 72-69, and Michigan couldn’t get a final shot off to tie it.
“We shoot free throws every day,” Auriemma said. “But until you shoot them at the end of the game and you have to make them, it’s different.”
Swords, Fudd Put on Shooting Clinic
The fourth quarter featured a remarkable shooting duel between Fudd and Michigan’s Syla Swords, who finished with 29 points on 9-of-21 shooting, including 8-of-14 from three-point range.
Swords hit four three-pointers in the third quarter alone and added three more in the final minute of the game, nearly willing the Wolverines to an upset victory. Several of her makes came from well beyond the three-point line, including one that Auriemma estimated was “a foot behind the NBA line.”
“Those are two of the best shooters in the country playing tonight against each other,” Auriemma said. “They both put on quite a show. Not easy for them to get those shots, but they seem to be able to make shots other people have a hard time making.”
Auriemma marvelled at the shot-making ability displayed by both guards.
“I forget which one it was, but the one that either made that was beyond, like a foot behind the NBA line, right?” Auriemma said. “I mean, that was—and it was the end of the shot clock, I think, if I’m not mistaken.”
Michigan’s Olivia Olson added 18 points and 10 rebounds, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter to help the Wolverines mount their comeback. Mila Holloway contributed seven points and six assists, while Te’Yala Delfosse added seven points and nine rebounds off the bench.
“They went to their strengths, and we went to ours,” Auriemma said. “And we just had enough at the end to put it away.”
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Strong’s Dominant Performance
Sarah Strong’s 20-rebound performance anchored UConn’s effort on both ends of the floor. The freshman forward controlled the glass from the opening tip, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting, 20 rebounds (four offensive, 16 defensive), six assists, four blocks, and three steals in 40 minutes.
Strong’s versatility allowed UConn to play a unique defensive style that few teams can replicate.
“We can play differently defensively when she’s in the game than we can when we have a traditional big in the game,” Auriemma said. “We can play differently offensively because we can put her anywhere on the floor and we’re good.”
Auriemma said Strong’s performance didn’t surprise him, given what he saw from her in high school and during last year’s NCAA Tournament run.
“You can tell when you see a player play in high school what kind of skills they possess and what kind of temperament they have on the court,” Auriemma said. “I always knew this was going to happen for Sarah. Nobody knows if it’s going to happen like it happened in the NCAA tournament last year or like it’s happening now. You always knew it was there.”
However, Auriemma wasn’t pleased that Strong had to play all 40 minutes and noted that her 20-rebound total highlighted a lack of production from UConn’s other post players.
“Not thrilled that she had to play 40 minutes tonight,” Auriemma said. “I wish I could have given her a breather. I think that third quarter, I think she looked a little fatigued, and that’s my fault.”
He added, “For her to get 20 rebounds, that doesn’t say a lot about our other guys, does it? Our other bigs—those that got in the game—they have a lot to make up for. We can’t, nor should we expect, her to go out and get 20 every night.”
Bench Production a Concern
One of Auriemma’s biggest concerns after the game was the lack of production from UConn’s bench, which contributed just five points compared to Michigan’s 11.
“It’s probably the first game that we’ve had where we didn’t get a big boost from our bench,” Auriemma said. “So all that, I think, made for a close game at the end.”
The lack of bench scoring forced Auriemma to play his starters heavy minutes, with Fudd (39), Strong (40), KK Arnold (37), and Ashlynn Shade (31) all logging significant time. Arnold finished with six points, four rebounds, seven assists, and two steals, while Shade added eight points on 3-of-10 shooting.
“I don’t think anybody needs to play that many minutes, but as I said, we didn’t get any production whatsoever from our bench,” Auriemma said. “So we couldn’t do what we’ve been doing, which is try to keep everybody fresh and play 22, 25 minutes. Nobody should have to play 40, 37 minutes. So we have to address that.”
Despite the heavy workload, Auriemma praised Arnold’s ability to make plays on both ends of the floor while facing tough defensive assignments.
“Sometimes you have no luxury of getting a couple of breathers—it’s hard,” Auriemma said. “I trust KK. I mean, I would trust her with my wallet. She’s gaining more and more trust every day.”
Auriemma joked about Arnold taking a contested three-pointer in front of the UConn bench late in the game after missing an earlier attempt badly.
“I’m glad she had the confidence to take that one right in front of our bench,” Auriemma said. “I mean, she only missed the other one by about five feet. That would have given me confidence to shoot the next one. I was ready to pull my hair out. But I’m glad that she had the confidence to knock it in.”
“Michigan’s Way Too Much Like Us”
Auriemma acknowledged that Michigan presented a unique challenge for his Huskies because of the similarities between the two programs.
“Michigan’s way too much like us,” Auriemma said. “And I don’t like playing teams that are just like us. Hopefully, we won’t see another one of them for a while.”
The Hall of Fame coach praised Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico for her ability to adjust her team’s strategy and take away UConn’s strengths. He noted that Michigan, which typically presses opponents for entire games, didn’t press UConn until the final minute.
“Her teams are usually pretty well balanced,” Auriemma said. “They play a style of play that takes advantage of their strengths, and they don’t do things that get them in trouble. A lot of teams lose because they’re trying to do stuff against us that they can’t do.”
He continued: “They always play to the way the other team plays, to take away what the other team’s strengths are. She’s really good at that. And she has the right roster this year—of playmakers. She’s got a bunch of guys that can make plays.”
Auriemma said he told Barnes Arico before the game that this was the best Michigan team she’s ever had.
“I told Kim before the game that I thought this is the best team she’s ever had,” Auriemma said. “They’re really, really, really good. And I told her after the game, ‘I told you.’ She didn’t believe me before the game. I said, ‘I told you.'”
He added, “I think they’re one of the best teams that I’ve seen. I can’t say I’ve seen everybody play, but I haven’t seen many teams better than them, that’s for sure.”
Auriemma also joked about Barnes Arico’s time at St. John’s in the Big East.
“I’ve always been a big fan,” Auriemma said. “I mean, if they hadn’t beat us that game at Gampel, she might still be at St. John’s. So I’m glad they won—get her the hell out of our league, right?”
Executing in Crunch Time
Auriemma expressed confidence in his team’s ability to execute late-game situations with Fudd and Strong on the floor.
“A lot of it depends on what you think you see defensively,” Auriemma said. “I thought we did a good job of getting AZ a wide open three at a crucial time, the one right in front of my bench, right in front of me, actually, right there.”
He emphasized the importance of trust and repetition in high-pressure moments.
“The ability to get that shot—I think you have to trust that she knows where to go, where the spot is going to be open, and you have to trust we’re going to deliver that pass right on time,” Auriemma said. “And the only way you learn if you can do those things is you have to be in those situations, in-game situations. You can go over them in practice a million times, but it has to be like right here, in a game that really, really matters.”
Auriemma expressed full confidence in the two-man game between Fudd and Strong in late-game situations.
“If AZ’s got the last shot of the half, we know once that two-man game goes with the two of them, something good is going to happen,” Auriemma said. “I’m not sure what, but I know something good is going to happen. And then the rest, you just got to—if it goes in, you win. If it doesn’t, you lose. But at least you’re going to do it with the players you believe in the most, for sure.”
Michigan’s Zone Defense Stifles UConn
Michigan’s defensive adjustments in the second half proved crucial to the Wolverines’ comeback attempt. After struggling to guard UConn man-to-man in the first quarter, Barnes Arico switched to a zone defense that disrupted the Huskies’ offensive rhythm.
“Whatever their intent was for going zone, I thought it was a great idea,” Auriemma said. “I thought it was great for that particular moment. And they stayed with it.”
The zone forced UConn into contested outside shots and limited the Huskies’ ability to attack the basket.
“They spread it out enough that they weren’t worried too much about what we were getting inside,” Auriemma said. “So we threw it inside, and we didn’t get anything. Then we got outside, and we missed. Then, when we missed, we stopped shooting them. And then we started forcing them.”
Statistical Breakdown
UConn:
- Shot 37.7 percent (26-of-69) from the field, 33.3 percent (10-of-30) from three, and 90.9 percent (10-of-11) from the free-throw line.
- Outrebounded Michigan 47-43, including 13-15 on the offensive glass.
- Committed 17 turnovers compared to Michigan’s 14.
- Scored 28 points in the paint and 18 fast-break points.
- Bench contributed just five points.
Michigan:
- Shot 35.6 percent (26-of-73) from the field, 37.5 percent (12-of-32) from three, and 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from the free-throw line.
- Scored 22 points off turnovers and 16 second-chance points.
- Bench contributed 11 points.
- Committed 14 turnovers.
Key Performers:
UConn:
- Azzi Fudd: 31 points (9-20 FG, 7-12 3PT, 6-6 FT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 39 minutes
- Sarah Strong: 16 points (7-15 FG, 0-2 3PT, 2-3 FT), 20 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks, 3 steals, 40 minutes
- Ashlynn Shade: 8 points (3-10 FG, 2-6 3PT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 31 minutes
- KK Arnold: 6 points (2-8 FG, 1-5 3PT, 1-1 FT), 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 37 minutes
- Serah Williams:Â 6 points (3-6 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 24 minutes
Michigan:
- Syla Swords: 29 points (9-21 FG, 8-14 3PT, 3-4 FT), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 40 minutes
- Olivia Olson: 18 points (8-22 FG, 2-8 3PT, 0-2 FT), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 39 minutes
- Mila Holloway: 7 points (2-12 FG, 1-6 3PT, 2-2 FT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 37 minutes
- Te’Yala Delfosse: 7 points (3-5 FG, 1-3 3PT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 26 minutes
- Ashley Sofilkanich: 4 points (2-6 FG), 3 assists, 2 blocks, 20 minutes
Michigan’s History Against No. 1 Teams
This was the third time in the past two seasons that Michigan has faced a No. 1 team in the poll.
The Wolverines lost to South Carolina to open the season last year and then were beaten by Big Ten foe UCLA. Prior to those meetings, Michigan had only faced a No. 1 team once before—a loss to Iowa in 1988.
Despite the loss, Michigan showed it can compete with the nation’s elite, rallying from a 20-point deficit to cut the lead to one in the final seconds.
“We’re disappointed we didn’t get the win, but I’m proud of the way we fought,” Michigan head coach said. “We’re going to learn from this and get better.”
What’s Next
UConn (5-0) will look to extend its undefeated start when it hosts [next opponent] on [date] at [venue].
Michigan (4-1) will return home to face [next opponent] on [date] at [venue] as the Wolverines open Big Ten play.
Game Notes:
- Attendance: 6,312 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut
- Referees: Ashlee Goode, Katie Lukanich, Brian Hall
- UConn improved to 5-0 for the [number] time in program history
- Fudd’s 31 points marked a career high and the most by a UConn player this season
- Strong’s 20 rebounds tied a career high and marked the most by a UConn player in a single game since [previous record]
- Swords’ 29 points marked a career high and the most by a Michigan player this season
- Michigan’s 13-0 run in the third quarter was the largest by a UConn opponent this season
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