Connecticut avoided consecutive losses by squashing a late comeback bid from Princeton to win, 69-64, at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut, on Thursday night. But, for a second consecutive game the No. 6 Huskies endured yet another in-game injury to a starter when point guard Nika Mühl left the game in the third quarter.
After trailing by double-digits much of the game, the Tigers pulled within two on free throws in the final minute. UConn’s Aubrey Griffin, who had a career night with 29 points on 11-of-11 shooting, answered with an and-1 opportunity, but missed the free throw, and Princeton came back within two on a deep jumper by Madison St. Rose.
Inês Bettencourt crept it to three by hitting one of her two free throw attempts after All-Ivy guard Julia Cunningham committed a fifth foul. The defense shut down Princeton on the arc and forced a turnover on an ensuing inbound play to protect the win.
The loss of Mühl is the most concerning aspect for UConn currently. Lou Lopez Senechal, who scored 18 points, might also have an injury. She sat the final 4:19 and might have been limping in her final minutes on the court. There were eight available UConn players on Thursday and it dropped to seven after Mühl's exit. Further trouble bubbled up when Caroline Ducharme drew her fourth foul late in the third.
UConn's last back-to-back losses came in March 1993, a stretch that now extends to 1,067 games. The Huskies are playing a tough schedule that continues with No. 20 Maryland on Sunday. The Terrapins avoided their own upset with a game-winning 3-pointer.
The Huskies came into the season without 2021 national player of the year Paige Bueckers (ACL) and top-ranked freshman Ice Brady (dislocated patella) for the entire schedule. Fifth-year graduate forward Dorka Juhász has missed the last five games with a broken thumb. And Fudd, an early contender for the 2023 player of the year award, is out for 3-6 weeks after a knee injury against Notre Dame on Sunday.
UConn's Mühl leaves vs. Princeton
Mühl hit her head hard on Aaliyah Edwards' knee as she was falling backward into the paint at the 7:07 mark of the third quarter. She might have also taken an inadvertent elbow near her face while attempting to take a charge against Kaitlyn Chen.
She was seen to on the court by trainers as she held her head and helped off to the bench by Bueckers, with Juhász trailing them nearby. UConn did not update her status during the game, but Mühl did not return to the bench.
The junior guard from Croatia is having a career season stepping in for Bueckers at point guard. Her 10.1 assists per game are best in Division I and she broke Bueckers' single-game record for assists against N.C. State last month. She had four consecutive games of double-digit assists to become the only UConn player to do so. Her 11 points against Notre Dame were a season-high and she was expected to take more of a scoring load with Fudd out.
How UConn won
The Huskies used defense to fuel a strong start, 21-14, through the first quarter and rode it out through the second to a 32-20 lead at the break. They controlled the paint and hit 48% of their shots while the defense forced Princeton into a 8-for-32 half. The Tigers were 2-of-13 from 3-point range.
Auriemma said at half the Huskies would need to find their offensive rhythm, which will be a more major concern against Maryland on Sunday. That became more difficult with their leader out, as did the defensive effort that begins with Mühl. Princeton trailed by low double digits through the third, but cut it to eight with 5:56 remaining with three layups off turnovers in a span of less than two minutes.