Geno Auriemma reveals what he told Azzi Fudd in the viral bench moment amid relieving injury update on UConn Star

Geno Auriemma comforted Azzi Fudd during a viral bench moment and shared a positive injury update after the No. 2 Huskies dominated No. 22 Louisville 85-52.

Fudd, a graduate student, had an impressive performance, scoring 18 points, grabbing four rebounds, contributing two assists and making a steal. She shot 6-for-10, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.

However, Fudd’s playing time was cut short to 18 minutes due to a minor knee sprain. The injury occurred around the 6:40 mark in the third quarter when two Louisville players on defense bumped Fudd's knee.

A TikTok video capturing the moment Auriemma comforted Fudd upon her return to the bench after the injury assessment went viral.

View on TikTok

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Auriemma revealed that Fudd will likely be sidelined for the week and will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. He also reflected on the touching moment caught on camera:

"You know, I sat down next to her on the bench and I told her, 'This is not gonna go the way it has gone in the past.' So we just needed to inject some positive thinking there," Auriemma said.

"Given the alternative, I think she's pretty pleased. We'll know more when we get back. I hope I'm right — but it's not that worst-case scenario that we've seen so many times before."

Azzi Fudd is expected to miss the much-anticipated matchup against No. 8 Notre Dame. The Huskies have a packed December schedule with games against Georgetown on Sunday, No. 18 Iowa State on Dec. 18 and No. 5 USC on Dec. 21.

Azzi Fudd back on the injury report

Azzi Fudd has returned to the injury report after suffering another knee injury, less than a month after rejoining the team.

The 5-foot-11 guard played just five games in the 2023-24 season following her recovery from ACL and meniscus tears in November 2023.

Despite her exceptional talent, Azi Fudd’s career has been plagued by injuries. After representing Team USA in the Under-18 3x3 competition, she had surgeries on her right ACL and MCL.

At UConn, she missed 33 games in her first two years due to foot and knee issues. She only played two games in her junior year because of another ACL/meniscus tear.

When healthy, Fudd is a phenomenal shooter and is projected to be a top pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, with Chicago and Washington as likely landing spots.