UConn star Azzi Fudd reflects on “most efficient” partnership with Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong

UConn star Azzi Fudd has emerged as one of the best players in both the Big East and the country, leading her team to the conference tournament championship win last week. Alongside her fellow Huskies stars Paige Bueckers and freshman Sarah Strong, Fudd makes up a talented big three for coach Geno Auriemma's team as they seek to win their first national championship since 2016.

During Tuesday's segment of "SportsCenter," Fudd reflected on her strong partnership with teammates, Strong and Bueckers (1:46).

"I think one factor is just trusting and believing each other," Azzi Fudd said. "I think it's super easy to have great chemistry with people that you believe 100% in. Like, I trust Sarah with it. She's gonna catch the pass, she's gonna score, make a great read. Whatever it is, same with Paige. I think we have complete trust in each other in whatever situation we're in that makes it easy to play with them."

Out of 1,487 player combinations that have played 400-plus minutes together this season, Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong and Paige Bueckers are the most efficient trio in the country.

Azzi Fudd's college basketball future uncertain

Azzi Fudd has missed a huge chunk of her collegiate career with various season-ending injuries. This is the first season that she has been fully fit and she is eligible to declare for the upcoming WNBA Draft, but she has another year of eligibility in college basketball should she choose to take it.

During a news conference, she addressed the issue of her future in college basketball vis-a-vis declaring for the league.

"These four years have both been fast and extremely slow at times. And I really can't believe that it has already been four years," Azzi Fudd said. "I remember being a freshman and thinking like 'Oh, this is gonna be a long four years.' But coach says it every year, each season goes by, the four years go by so fast. I mean, we'll see about the fifth year, but I'm so grateful for the time that I've had."

Fudd has had her best season in college basketball vis-a-vis games played and is averaging 12.8 points on 47.2% shooting from the floor and 43.4% shooting from beyond the arc, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.

During his postgame news conference after the Big East Tournament win, UConn coach Geno Auriemma also revealed what he thought about Fudd's impending decision on her basketball future.

"Do I think she's (Fudd) ready? Um, I mean, I've always thought to myself that players have to be tremendously confident when they leave here about what the next step for them is," Auriemma said. "And I just want her to make sure that she's played enough basketball here, done enough things, tested herself enough, that she feels completely 100% ready to go."

Last year, Paige Bueckers, Fudd's close friend, shocked college basketball fans by opting to remain an extra year in Storrs. This year, the pivotal decision of whether to stay or go falls on Azzi Fudd.