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The Weekly: UConn hits first rough patch of the season
The Huskies didn't play well this past week, but they still brought home some major hardware.
Daniel Connolly
February 19, 2026
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Photo: Ian Bethune
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Though it’s been expected, UConn officially announced that Ice Brady will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season after she underwent knee surgery on Monday. The redshirt junior had been out since the Huskies’ second game.
This is the fifth straight year that UConn has suffered at least one season-ending injury.
It wasn’t pretty, but UConn got the job done at Villanova on Wednesday to clinch the Big East regular season championship. The Huskies trailed for most of the first half before waking up and seizing control out of the break en route to an 83-69 win.
“We didn’t show up to play today, that was pretty evident,” Azzi Fudd told the broadcast postgame.
Fudd’s 26 points led the team while Sarah Strong put up 21 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and four assists in spite of an illness that’s limited her in practice recently. Ashlynn Shade made some valuable contributions with 13 points, six rebounds and five assists while Serah Williams helped spark the turnaround with her best quarter in a UConn uniform.
Given the lack of real competition from the Big East, it was only a matter of time until UConn laid an egg. On Saturday, the Huskies struggled to a 71-56 win at Marquette. It was their lowest point total of the season and narrowest victory in league play to that point.
UConn’s two superstars, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, split the load. Fudd scored 17 of UConn’s 36 points in the first half while Strong shook off a 1-9 start from the field en route to a 19-point second half. Those two, along with KK Arnold, combined for all but 14 of the Huskies’ points.
In case you missed it
Last week’s Weekly: Paige Bueckers set to make US senior national team debut
What UConn needs to improve over its final five regular season games
UConn lands as No. 1 overall seed in first NCAA bracket reveal
UConn will honor Azzi Fudd, Caroline Ducharme, Serah Williams, Ice Brady and Ayanna Patterson on senior day this Sunday. It’ll be a postgame ceremony. With Brady and Patterson, they aren’t guaranteed to leave after this season, despite walking. Fudd, Paige Bueckers, Aubrey Griffin and Dorka Juhász all participated in multiple senior day ceremonies previously.
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Rankings and awards
AP Poll: Another week passes with UConn still the unanimous No. 1.
Big East weekly honors: Azzi Fudd repeated as Big East Player of the Week after putting up 22.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals while shooting a blistering 54.5 percent overall and 66.7 percent from three in two victories. She’s taken home the hardware four times this season.
National award watch lists: Geno Auriemma is one of 15 finalists for the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year. He’s won the award eight times, last doing so in 2016-17. Meanwhile, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong are on a 30-player watchlist for the Naismith Trophy.
It’s getting to be that time of year:
Azzi Fudd always makes the time:
First use of the Irish language on the team account:
Jana is always doing her own thing:
UConn honored the seniors on its practice squad last week:
By the numbers
Some numbers from UConn’s latest Big East regular season championship:
25 — The Huskies won their 25th Big East regular season title on Wednesday and their sixth straight.
31 — Overall, UConn has 32 conference regular season crowns (counting the seven from the AAC).
13 — The Huskies have won 13 straight conference regular season championships beginning with the 2013-14 campaign.
62 — UConn has 62 conference championships total (regular season and tournament, all leagues).
64 — The Huskies have won 64 straight games in league play, dating back to a Feb. 21, 2023 loss to St. John’s.
Trivia question
When was the last time UConn failed to win a conference championship? |
The week ahead
Sunday: UConn will face Providence on senior day at Gampel Pavilion. Tip-off is set for noon while the ceremony will take place postgame.
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