Azzi Fudd Getty UConn Huskies
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The UConn Huskies have seen more than their fair share of setbacks this season, but things are starting to look up. UConn's leading scorer Azzi Fudd -- who suffered a right knee injury on Dec. 4 -- was cleared to resume basketball activities last week.

After practice on Friday, head coach Geno Auriemma said Fudd was "getting close" to a return. She did some workouts over the weekend and warmed up on Saturday ahead of the game against Marquette -- although she did not play. 

"We'll see how she responds to that and then we'll go from there, we'll see. So it's getting close," Auriemma told reporters. "Hopefully it won't be long."

The Huskies are back on the court on Tuesday as they take on Butler on the road. While there has been no confirmation on whether this will be Fudd's first game back, Auriemma said the team will likely at least get Aubrey Griffin back. The redshirt junior forward did not immediately rejoin the team after the holidays due to a positive COVID-19 test. 

Griffin was at Friday's practice and on the sideline during the Marquette game on Saturday -- wearing a mask.

"They know there's a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere," Auriemma told the media. "They know we're gonna get some of those kids back."

"They know we're not getting Paige [Buecekrs, ACL] and Ice [Brady, dislocated patella] back, but we were pretty good when we had everybody but those two. And I think they understand that those days will be back, provided we don't trade one for another."

Even though they were shorthanded, the Huskies picked up wins against Creighton and Marquette last week to climb to the No. 5 spot in the latest AP Top 25 poll. 

UConn (11-2, 4-0 Big East) is taking on Butler (6-8, 1-4 Big East) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET in Hinkle Fieldhouse. That will be the first of a two-game road trip as the Huskies will later travel to Cincinnati to take on Xavier on Jan. 5.