A moment like this doesn’t come around twice. But for Azzi Fudd and Alex Karaban, it’s arriving at the same time.

Bound by a rare connection that stretches beyond basketball, the two stars are now preparing for what could be their final March runs together.

And for Fudd, that reality is hitting harder than ever, as this is her senior year, where every possession she plays comes with finality attached to it.

“I remember my freshman year, it was all brand new,” Fudd said. “Not like, ‘I have more chances,’ but now it’s my last one. Every March, it’s leave it all on the floor, give it all you’ve got. But now I’m playing for more. This is my last everything.”

That “more” doesn’t just come from the moment; it also comes from who she’s sharing it with.

Fudd of the women’s basketball team and Karaban of the men’s team aren’t just two stars chasing one last run at UConn; they’re connected in a way few athletes ever are. Both were born on November 11, 2002, just hours apart, and now find themselves in their senior year, aiming to help their school secure another championship.

“My birthday twin,” Fudd said with a smile. “I’m older, so it’s my birthday. He shares it.”

It’s a small detail, but one that has quietly grown into a unique bond over the years. From shared recovery sessions in the training room to quick conversations after practice, their journeys have unfolded side by side, often in the same spaces, at the same time, chasing the same goals.

Now, as both prepare for what could be their final NCAA Tournament appearances, that connection carries a different weight. But their journeys at UConn haven’t looked the same.

For Azzi Fudd, the road has been defined as much by resilience as it has been by talent. Across 109 career games, injuries repeatedly interrupted her rhythm, costing her significant time during her sophomore and junior seasons. Her career also includes an entire missed stretch due to a torn ACL and meniscus.

However, when she is healthy, her impact has been undeniable.

Fudd has played 67 games over the past two seasons at full strength, where she has reestablished herself as one of the most efficient scorers in the country. In the 2025-26 NCAA season alone, she’s averaging 17.7 points per game while shooting 48.9% from the field, 44.6% from beyond the arc, and an elite 95.1% from the free-throw line.

On the other side, Karaban’s journey has been defined by consistency and winning.

A two-time national champion, Karaban has appeared in a program-record 145 games, where he steadily evolved from a key role player into one of the faces of the program. So far, he has already scored 1,783 career points, which has tied him with UConn legend Kemba Walker for ninth place in program history.

So now, this season isn’t just another tournament run for these players. It’s the final chapter of a journey they’ve experienced side by side, from shared birthdays to shared spaces inside UConn’s facilities.

Azzi Fudd embraces the pressure of leading UConn’s perfect run

If the emotions of a “last everything” weren’t already enough, Fudd is also stepping into a role that comes with its own weight.

For the first time in years, UConn heads into March without Paige Bueckers. The player who defined last season’s championship run. And while replacing that kind of presence isn’t simple, Fudd isn’t walking into the moment unprepared. She’s been studying it.

“Oh, I mean, she’s someone that I look up to in so many different aspects,” Fudd said as per Altitudes Magazine. “But the way that she just went about all of last year, especially the end, how she handled the expectations, the pressure, her mindset… I definitely got to learn a lot from her, and I’ll be trying to be like her this month.”

And that mindset matters even more when you look at what UConn is carrying into the tournament:

• An undefeated 34–0 record.
• A 50-game winning streak.
• And the expectations that come with being the team everyone is chasing.

On paper, the Huskies look as dominant as ever. But as Azzi Fudd understands, March doesn’t care about records. It tests composure, leadership, and the ability to deliver when everything tightens. Handling all that is what made Bueckers special a year ago. And it’s exactly what Fudd is now trying to replicate.

So with everything on the line, this run is now about Fudd proving she can carry it forward in her own way and when it matters the most.