STORRS, Conn. — UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma will miss his second game in a row - and forth overall - due to an ongoing illness.
The school announced that Auriemma will miss the Huskies’ game at Xavier on Thursday night and will rejoin the team at a later date.
“It’s been an extremely difficult month for me, and I’ve been feeling under the weather and run down,” Auriemma said. “I thought I was ready to return, but I need a little more time. I’m going to take a step back to focus on my health and will return when I feel ready.”
The 68-year-old coach has missed three other games this season due to illness – two in December as well as UConn’s game against Butler on Tuesday.
Associate head coach Chris Dailey will take over head coaching duties. She is 16-0 in Auriemma absences.
No. 5 UConn (12-2) has been beset with injuries and illness this season. Former national player of the year Paige Bueckers and freshman Ice Brady are out for the season with knee injuries. Leading scorer Azzi Fudd is expected to return shortly from a knee injury that has kept her on the bench since early December. Shooting guard Caroline Ducharme is sitting out her second consecutive game in concussion protocol.
Only three Huskies have played in every game this season.
Tip-off for the UConn-Xavier game is 7 p.m.
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