NASSAU, BAHAMAS – When the UConn women’s basketball team landed in the Cayman Islands for its midseason tournament last November, the Huskies were already feeling the devastating effects of their bad luck with injuries.

UConn played its first game at the Cayman Islands Classic just two days after the program announced that Azzi Fudd would miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL and medial meniscus tear in his right knee, and Caroline Ducharme aggravated her ongoing head and neck injuries the flight to the tournament again. Then-freshman KK Arnold started for the first time against UCLA, and the Huskies suffered a 78-67 loss in the opening game of the Classic despite 31 points from superstar Paige Bueckers.

Almost exactly a year later, UConn will finish the Baha Mar Women’s Championship in the Bahamas with far more hopeful prospects. The No. 2 Huskies (4-0) face Oregon State (1-4) in their first game on Monday with at least 11 players available, including Fudd, who made his long-awaited return to the court last week against Fairleigh Dickinson celebrated.

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“There were so many young players besides Paige,” Auriemma said. “I think the first four games we played, Paige and (graduate Kaitlyn Chen) were the only non-students and freshmen that played. (It helps) to bring back someone like Azzi, who can maybe give the other group some stability if she’s there… Now for us to give Paige some rest, we need to have Kaitlyn in the game… so Azzi also gives me the opportunity, the minutes something better to divide.”

Redshirt junior Ayanna Patterson, who did not play last season after undergoing surgery for patellar tendonitis, is also poised to return in the near future from a shoulder injury she suffered during preseason practice. Patterson took part in the Huskies’ full-contact practice in the Bahamas on Sunday, although Auriemma said he wasn’t sure if she would make her season debut during the tournament.

“Yesterday and today was the first time she had real contact in a regular practice, so we’ll see how it goes, but it will be soon,” Auriemma said with a smile. “I’m excited to see what it can do because it’s certainly different than anything we currently have.”

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Oregon State had a remarkable 2023-24 season, appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 and reaching the Elite Eight for the third time in program history. But amid uncertainty over the future of the athletic department following the dissolution of the Pac-12, the Beavers’ roster was decimated by the transfer portal in the offseason. Raegan Beers, the 2023 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, is now at No. 9 Oklahoma, while top guard Talia von Oelhoffen and Timea Gardiner transferred to No. 3 USC and No. 5 UCLA, respectively. Only five members of last year’s Elite Eight squad returned to Oregon State in 2024-25, and senior AJ Marrotte is the only veteran with starting experience.

As a result, the Beavers (1-4) had a rocky start to the season, with their only win coming against Northwest Nazarene. Their first ranked game was an 85-66 loss to No. 22 Illinois last Friday.

“I had a chance to talk to (Oregon State coach Scott Rueck) when the whole thing was falling apart, and I just can’t even imagine something like that happening to you as a coach,” Auriemma said. “He is a great coach. He’s really good with the players. They love playing for him and… they played their style. They don’t try to be something they’re not. They don’t chase the latest and greatest fads… I’m sorry he can’t coach the players he recruited and it would have been easy for him to pull out (of this tournament), so credit goes to him for that “That he’s like, No, we’re going and we’re going to play.”

Oregon State will still be a challenge for the undersized Huskies, as it has three players on the roster who are 6-foot-10 or taller. Sela Heide, a returning 6-7 center, is averaging 7.6 rebounds plus a team-high 10.7 points per game, and 6-5 forward Kelsey Rees leads the Beavers in addition to her 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in blocks.

UConn has very little experience on its frontcourt: Redshirt sophomore Ice Brady has played the most college basketball in a single season and is a starter for the first time in 2024-25. Redshirt freshman Jana El Alfy is the Huskies’ tallest player at 6-foot-1, but she is still finding her footing after missing all of last season with a torn Achilles tendon.

“We’re going to be at a bit of a disadvantage with some of the bigger teams in the country, so we’ve got to hope we can turn that around on the other end of the floor and make it a little more difficult for those big guys guarding our guys,” Auriemma said. “I’m really excited to see how they handle it because it’s going to be a big test for them. You will not only be challenged physically, but also mentally. You have to be smart about it.”

Here’s how to watch UConn women’s basketball vs. Oregon State

Website: Baha Mar Convention Center, Nassau, Bahamas

Time: 7:30 p.m

Team records: UConn 4-0, Oregon State: 1-4

Series: UConn leads 2-0

Last meeting: 80-51 UConn, April 3, 2016 in Indianapolis

Streaming: FloHoops (no TV broadcast)

Radio: UConn Sports Network on Fox Sports 97.9

Originally published: November 24, 2024 at 7:08 pm EST