Due to the injury, The all-time favourite player of Uconn women’s basketball has officially announced her retirement
STORRS, Connecticut Before tip-off against BIG EAST rival Creighton on Wednesday night, the UConn Huskies got some good news amidst a season marred by persistent injuries, short rotations, and general poor luck. Not only did the team’s mascot, Jonathan the (real) husky, return from medical leave, but UConn sophomore guard Caroline Ducharme was also confirmed to be back on the field. Due to the concussion protocol, Ducharme has only appeared in 10 games for UConn before playing against Marquette on New Year’s Eve.
Caroline is the player that UConn head coach Geno Auriemma wants to play the most. Some children desire to play as much as adults. Still, no one wants to play any more. And having to sit down was killing her.
Another beautiful moment for the Huskies right before tip-off: Aaliyah Edwards, a junior at UConn, received recognition for reaching 1,000 points in her career. She did so on February 5 against South Carolina. Lou Lopez Sénéchal was also awarded. She began her collegiate career at Fairfield then transferred to UConn for the 2022–2023 season. Last Thursday in Milwaukee, during the first quarter of the game against Marquette, Lopez Sénéchal scored 2,000 points.
Feelings were perfect in a virtually full Gampel Pavilion with the news of Jonathan and Caroline’s return and the acknowledgement of starters Edwards and Lopez Sénéchal.
Caroline Ducharme didn’t score after three quarters. That was going to happen soon.
UConn started to cut into the deficit after Creighton increased its advantage to 11 points in the fourth quarter. Ducharme opened the fourth quarter with a momentum-shifting, fast break three-pointer at 8:06, cutting the deficit to five points, 50-45.
Ducharme kept pulling through big moments for Connecticut as the quarter went on. With less than three minutes remaining in the game, she scored a layup on the Huskies’ following drive and then made a and-one to pull UConn within three points, 57-54.
