Azzi Fudd reveals what Paige Bueckers said in the locker room about UConn's standard after beating South Carolina

While Paige Bueckers struggled with her shot, Azzi Fudd led UConn to a dominant 87-58 win against South Carolina on Sunday. The sharpshooter posted a game-high 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting (6 of 10 from the 3-point line) in the program's first win over the Gamecocks since 2021.

Apart from ending UConn coach Geno Auriemma's rut against Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, the win was a reminder of the caliber of basketball the Huskies can play. With that in mind, Fudd shared what Bueckers told the team in the locker room after the game.

"I think we all knew that we were capable of this but it does mean a lot," she said (at 3:40). "It definitely does boosts our confidence actually seeing ourselves do it."

"And Paige said it best in the locker room, 'Now that we've done it, we can't get complacent.' And this has to be our standard now, we can only get better from here. We can't let this win be the best thing we do the rest of the season."

UConn entered Sunday's contest having lost three key games this season against Notre Dame, USC Trojans and Tennessee. Injuries to star players like Fudd and Bueckers contributed to the team's inconsistencies.

But with Bueckers struggling, Fudd stepped up with her best game of the season against a ranked opponent.

South Carolina, the defending champions, entered the contest with a 71-game winning streak at home. But they were shut down by the Huskies' tough defense, which held them to just 38% shooting.

Azzi Fudd struggled with her shooting touch before 3rd-quarter explosion

Azzi Fudd started the game slow, missing her first four shots and ending the half with five points on 2-of-10 shooting. After the contest, the senior said that she was unable to make a single shot during the halftime shootaround.

"I missed all my shots when we came out at halftime when I was shooting, so either they were all gonna go in or I was gonna miss all of them," she said.

UConn led by 22 points heading into halftime and did not look back as Fudd's sizzling third-quarter scoring kept South Carolina at bay.

Fudd opened the scoring for the Huskies in the first minute of the second half and went on to score 16 of the team's next 23 points. Her 7-of-9 third-quarter shooting neutralized the Gamecocks' hopes of coming back into the game.