Is the UConn Dynasty a Thing of the Past?

Paige Bueckers, a junior guard and one of the best players in the game, has been out for the entire season with a knee injury. (Though she would be eligible for the W.N.B.A. draft this April, she said she plans to return to school next season.) Guard Azzi Fudd, a former No. 1 overall recruit, missed 22 games because of knee injuries. Aaliyah Edwards, a forward and national player of the year semifinalist, broke her nose during a collision with a teammate in the first week of practice. Guard Caroline Ducharme, a preseason All-Big East selection, was on concussion protocol for two months.

Even Auriemma himself missed four games after his mother, Marsiella, died in December and he battled an illness.

Auriemma has come to rely on UConn’s entire available roster this year, including Edwards, a 6-foot-3 junior from Kingston, Ontario; Lou Lopez Sénéchal, a 6-foot-1 guard from France; and Dorka Juhász, a 6-foot-5 forward from Hungary. Edwards and Lopez Sénéchal lead the team in scoring, with 16.6 and 15.7 points a game, while Edwards leads the team in rebounds, averaging 9.2 a game.

By the Big East tournament earlier this month, UConn’s fortunes began to shift. The Huskies finished the regular season with a 67-56 win over Villanova to secure their 21st tournament title. It was one of the few times this season that the team had everyone available on the court, including Fudd, who returned for the three tournament games.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/17/sports/ncaabasketball/ncaa-womens-basketball-uconn.html