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The Huskies travel to Xavier for regular season finale tonight.
This could be UConn’s last game outside of Connecticut before the Final Four assuming the Huskies advance that far. The last four regular season games are home, the Big East Tournament is at Mohegan Sun Arena, the first two games of the NCAA Tournament will be in Storrs, and UConn could land in Bridgeport for the regionals.Only two players, Evina Westbrook and Aaliyah Edwards have appeared in every UConn game this season. The Huskies have cycled through nine starting lineups, navigating one injury after another. So who’s available Friday? Caroline Ducharme (head) and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (groin) practiced Wednesday and seem close to returning. If they are restricted, they may come off the bench to log to minutes.
Paige Bueckers also practiced for the first time since Dec. 5, but Geno Auriemma said she will likely need time before appearing in a game. If Ducharme and Nelson-Ododa are back, Auriemma will have a deeper rotation. He has been using six players, the starters and Westbrook off the bench; but UConn can go eight deep with the injured players available.
Azzi Fudd moved into the starting lineup last week against Tennessee and has quickly established herself as UConn’s best offensive player. She has 20 or more points in three of the past four games, including 24 in a win over Marquette Sunday. Fudd’s emergence as a budding star is a compelling storyline. In those three games with 20-plus points, she converted 15 of 23 3-point attempts. When she had just four points and was 0-for-7 from beyond the arc against DePaul last week, she impacted the game with six rebounds and played well defensively.
UConn is 4-0 all-time vs. Xavier. On Jan. 15 in the XL Center, UConn beat Xavier, 78-41. Freshman Caroline Ducharme led the Huskies with 20 points while senior Christyn Williams had 19. Xavier is coming off a 62-60 road win at Providence last Sunday. Mackayla Scarlett led the Musketeers with 18 points. This season, Nia Clark leads Xavier with 11.7 points per game while Kae Satterfield is averaging 11.0 points per game.
The Huskies will be home for their final four regular season games. UConn plays at the XL Center three times next week (Feb. 20 vs. Georgetown, Feb. 23 vs. Marquette, Feb. 25 vs. St. John's) before facing Providence in the last regular season game at Gampel Pavilion on Feb. 27.
Here's the scoop on tonight's game, what you need to know -
When: Tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Cintas Center, Cincinnati, OH (Capacity 10,224)
Records: UConn (17-5, 11-1 Big East), Xavier (8-16, 3-12)
Last Meeting: UConn 78, Xavier 41 (Jan. 15, 2022 - XL Center - Hartford, Conn.)
TV: SNY Allen Bestwick (pxp), Meg Culmo (analyst), Maria Marino (sideline)
Streaming: UConn's SNY games will be available to stream in-market (CT, NY, NJ, PA) to authenticated subscribers via the NBC Sports app: http://stream.nbcsports.com/rsn/sny.
Out-of-market fans will be able to stream UConn's SNY games at no additional cost to authenticated subscribers who have FOX as part of their television package. Users will need to sign in with their TV provider credentials at https://www.foxsports.com/ or in the FOX Sports app. The games can also be accessed at www.fox.com/sports or in the FOX Now app.
RADIO: UConn IMG Sports Network: Bob Joyce (pxp), Debbie Fiske (analyst) on 97-9 ESPN and can be streamed through the Varsity Network.
Xavier Roster - Head coach Melanie Moore (3rd year)
Xavier game notes and stats
Probable starters for Xavier, sixth man
Prenger F, 6-1, Jr - Townsend F, 6-2, Jr - Harris G, 5-11, Fr - Calhoun G, 5-11 So - Beeler G, 5-7, Jr - Scarlett G, 5-10, So.
UConn Roster - Head coach Geno Auriemma (37th year)
UConn game notes and stats
Probable starters for UConn, sixth man:
Dorka Juhász, F, 6-5, Gr.; Nika Mühl, G, 5-10, So.; Aaliyah Edwards, F, 6-3, So.; Christyn Williams, G, 5-11, Sr.; Azzi Fudd, G, 5-11, Fr.; Evina Westbrook, G, 6-0, R-Sr.
Huskie Bytes -
• Eight of UConn’s 12 players have missed at least two games this season due to injury or illness.
• Only Evina Westbrook and Aaliyah Edwards have played in all 22 games this season.
• Due to player absences, UConn has had nine different starting lineups this season.
• UConn has used four different starting lineups in its last five games.
• With the lineup changes, nine Huskies have started at least three games this year. Those nine players are averaging at least 22.6 minutes per game as well.
UConn women’s basketball’s Nika Mühl proving her indispensability: ‘She’s just somebody you want out on the floor, period’
Geno expects Paige Bueckers to return this season
Adamec: Fourth quarter belongs to Huskies lately
BIG East latest news
BIG East Standings
AP/Coaches Poll - week 15
Up next for UConn
Georgetown Hoyas
Sunday Feb 20 2:00 pm ET
XL Center - Hartford, Ct
TV: CBSSN
Radio: UConn Sports Network, Varsity Radio App
Military appreciation game
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