UConn coach Geno Auriemma started freshman center Jana El-Alfy for only the fourth time this season in Wednesday's game against Xavier. She capitalized on the opportunity, scoring 11 points and grabbing three rebounds in the Huskies' 81-27 blowout win at XL Center.
The 11 points were the most El-Alfy has scored in a game since tallying 12 points against Oregon State on Nov. 25. The 6-foot-5 Egyptian native found her rhythm in the third quarter, pouring in nine of her total points.
In the postgame presser, a reporter asked Geno Auriemma what he thought got El-Alfy going in that quarter and if it's the kind of play he’s been hoping to see from her.
"Jana has this look on her face when she plays. You can never tell what she's thinking," the coach replied (6:40). "She's very serious — there's not a lot of joy in her face when she's playing. This is serious for her."
"She beats herself up when she's not playing well or when she's not doing something she thinks she can do. For her, anytime she has success, I just think that fuels her for the next time."
"I don't know that there's a secret formula. It's just that she needs to play and play through whatever it is. And then we have to get what we get and hope that we keep getting more, each and every game"
Geno Auriemma says Azzi Fudd's all-around game helped fill Paige Bueckers' void
For the first time this season, the Huskies were without their star player Paige Bueckers, who suffered a leg sprain in the win Sunday’s over Villanova. In her absence, fellow senior guard Azzi Fudd stepped up.
Fudd racked up a season-high 23 points to go along with two rebounds and three steals in the 81-27 triumph over the Musketeers. Coach Geno Auriemma was pleased with Fudd's effort and impact on the game.
"When it's a little bit of everything, that's when [Fudd] is playing her best," Auriemma said postgame (1:01). "When it's a little bit of attacking the basket, this pull-up, this three — that's when Azzi is at her best.
"So I thought for her, it was a great way to play a game where Paige is not in the game ... It took a little bit of time, but I thought she stepped up and had a great game.
Geno Auriemma's UConn Huskies improved to 14-2 overall (5-0 Big East) with the victory over Xavier. For their next game, they travel to the country's capital for a meeting with Georgetown on Saturday.
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