Every team has to compensate for injuries. However what UConn is enduring this season is quite a bit more difficult than most. Bueckers and top-five recruit Brady out for the season. They lost Dorka for nine games. They lost their starting point guard for one game. Currently, Caroline Ducharme, Ayanna Paterson, and of course Azzi Fudd are all out. Their assistant coach fainted during a game. Geno was out for four games, and by all accounts hasn’t fully recovered yet. AND, to top it all off, their mascot Is out of action after a medical procedure. As has been noted, their two bench players would not see time if not for the rash of injuries. Ines, was a 17-year-old freshman heading to a community college when they offered her an end of the bench position, and she has been forced into meaningful minutes during games. UConn Coaches have claimed that the active players are physically and mentally exhausted.
There’s a thread on the UConn board questioning if five injured players (Bueckers, Fudd, Brady, Ducharme, Patterson) could beat this year‘s starting five. Most feel the five injured players would win.
Side note: One of their recruits for next year has decided to enroll early and will be joining the team this week. There’s some speculation if they will waste a year of eligibility and allow her to play this year, or if it’s just an acclamation situation. She is a 17 year old post from Egypt.