Morgan Cheli gives an inside update on UConn locker room morale recovering from loss to JuJu Watkins' USC

Freshman guard Morgan Cheli and the No. 7 UConn Huskies are recovering from their loss to USC last week. They will look to bounce back when they return to the XL Center in Storrs on Sunday to take on Providence.

In the top-10 clash on Dec. 21, UConn failed to complete a comeback against JuJu Watkins and the Trojans, falling 72-70. Cheli played 21 minutes off the bench and finished with five points one rebound and one assist.

Heading into the Big East matchup, Cheli said the vibe in the locker room has been positive despite the tough loss.

"I think all of us are super-excited," she said. "We've been anticipating this game coming from Christmas. We just want to get back out there."

The Huskies stand at 10-2 overall and dropped to No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25 poll after the loss to USC. The team returned to campus on Thursday after the holiday break and has had three days of practice to prepare for Providence.

UConn's Geno Auriemma urges players to let go of frustrations following the USC loss

UConn coach Geno Auriemma knows the team needs to put the disappointment of the USC loss behind them. He emphasized celebrating the holiday time with family and friends and returning to the team refreshed and ready to go.

"I'm sure some of the guys were probably a little bit ... you get a little bit disappointment, you get probably some frustration, some, you know, you're angry about the way you played it out maybe," Auriemma said before the matchup with Providence (2:32).

"But you have to be able to turn that off and go home and realize that, whoever you're going to be with during the holidays, they're not really thinking about the game. They're just happy to see you and so tell them to enjoy it, basically."

The UConn Huskies won their first Big East game of the season against Georgetown on Dec. 15. They secured a 79-44 blowout win against Iowa State in the following game before falling to USC.

Freshman forward Sarah Strong had a strong game in the loss, contributing 22 points and 11 rebounds. Paige Bueckers also had a solid performance, but UConn's shooting from the field was not enough to overcome USC's efficient offense.