A healthy Azzi Fudd stars as UConn wins women’s NCAA Tournament

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — This time, Azzi Fudd was healthy. And she made a big difference for UConn.

Fudd was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four after leading the Huskies to the program’s 12th national championship. The dynamic guard scored 24 points during Sunday’s 82-59 victory over South Carolina in the title game.

UConn also reached the Final Four last season, but Fudd was sidelined by a torn meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. She could only watch as the Huskies were eliminated by Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the semifinals.

Fudd was ready to go this time around. She scored 19 points in Friday’s 85-51 victory over UCLA.

Then, with the Gamecocks trying for a second straight championship, Fudd was terrific. She went 9 for 17 from the field. She also had five rebounds, three steals and an assist.

Fudd scored 11 in the third quarter when the Huskies broke the game open. It was the most points in a single quarter of an NCAA title game by a UConn women’s basketball player, and sixth-most by any women’s player in a championship.

“I think all of our mindset was just to be aggressive, stay locked in, stay disciplined, stay together,” Fudd said. “And that’s exactly what we did. I happened to score 11 points, but I was doing what the game was giving.”

The cheering crowd for the championship included her parents. Her mother wore a shirt that read “FUDD AROUND AND FIND OUT.”

“I mean, they’re the reason I’m playing basketball,” Fudd said. “They taught me most of the things I know. So shoutout Mom and Dad. But to be able to stand here, to see all the people that I love in the crowd, people I love here on the stage with me, I don’t even have words to describe this moment right now.”

Fudd led the way against South Carolina, but she got plenty of help. Sarah Strong had 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Paige Bueckers scored 17 points in her final game with UConn.

Healthy again, Fudd paid tribute to her teammates and all the people around her for the championship season.

“My teammates, the people I’m with every single day, they support me, encourage me,” Fudd said. “I lean on them, and they’re there for me every day. My family, the coaching staff, the support staff here, just the people I surround myself with, I think that their resilience then feeds off into me.”

After playing just two games last season, Fudd averaged 13.3 points per game — third on the team behind Bueckers and Strong — and posted career highs in shooting percentage (47.2%) and 3-point rate (44.6%) this season.

The Huskies are 68-8 when Fudd plays and 26-1 when she scores at least 15 points.

“We as coaches felt like Azzi was the key to the tournament,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “We felt if she could have an Azzi-type game, that we would win. We kind of know what we’re going to get from Paige. We kind of know what we’re going to get from Sarah. So Azzi became the focal point for us of who has to step up tonight. And she did magnificently, obviously.”

Though Bueckers is heading to the WNBA, Fudd announced last month she plans to return for one more year in Connecticut.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.