College basketball analyst Kim Adams claims UConn will be tough to beat in the Big East this season due to the depth of its lineup.
Adams believes the Huskies, led by senior Paige Bueckers, will dominate the conference and be part of the Final Four conversation.
She also noted that legendary women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma is on course to win his 12th NCAA title due to this talented group.
"When you're looking down the list. It's almost like Geno's back to like an embarrassment of riches where you're looking down the roster and you're like: 'how is he going to find minutes for all of these players,'" Adams said in the "Got Next With Meghan & Zora" podcast. (6:03-6:15)
Aside from Bueckers, the Huskies will be relying on fully-recovered Azzi Fudd and guard-forward Aubrey Griffin for leadership.
Sophomore guard KK Arnold, who played major minutes when some of UConn's key players went down with injuries, will be back for another season, like Qadence Samuels and Ashlynn Shade.
The team also picked up Sarah Strong, the No. 1-ranked recruit in the Class of 2024, and a trio of dynamic guards in first-year players Allie Ziebell and Morgan Cheli and graduate senior Kaitlyn Chen.
UConn guards Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd included in major awards' watch list
UConn's one-two combo Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd have placed the nation on notice days before the season begins. Bueckers and Fudd were included in the watch lists of two of the major awards in women's basketball.
Bueckers was included in the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced on Monday.
She was included on the list after leading UConn to the Final Four despite having seven healthy players on its roster.
Bueckers averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
The Nancy Lieberman Award honors the top point guard in women's basketball who exudes floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills of former Old Dominion great Nancy Lieberman, according to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Meanwhile, Fudd was named on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list for the top shooting guard in the women's NCAA Division I. The former Big East All-Freshman Team winner returns after missing most of last season due to injury.
The 5-11 St John's College product led the team in 3-point percentage in her freshman year at 43.0% and tallied 15.1 ppg in the 2022-23 season.
Fudd will try to duplicate UConn alumna Christyn Williams, who won the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award in 2022.
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