Why UConn's entire team is filling Hartford for a Wings-Sun reunion
The current UConn women's basketball team planned to pack PeoplesBank Arena on Thursday, July 2, 2026, to watch former teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd in the Wings-Sun WNBA matchup in Hartford—likely the last local chance to see the duo before the Connecticut Sun relocate to Houston.
Per the Hartford Courant's Dom Amore, the reunion goes beyond nostalgia. Bueckers and Fudd had dinner with the Huskies in Hartford on Wednesday, and Sarah Strong, KK Arnold and the full roster expected to cheer them on—turning a Sun home date into what Amore called a game that felt like a UConn affair in all but name.
Key Takeaways
- Bueckers and Fudd return when Dallas visits the Sun at 8 p.m. ET at PeoplesBank Arena on Prime Video.
- The entire UConn women's team planned to attend after dining with the Wings stars Wednesday in Hartford.
- Aaliyah Edwards gives Connecticut another Husky on the floor as the WNBA posted a "Huskies forever" pregame tribute.
- Covers.com made Dallas a 6.5-point favorite despite the Sun riding a two-game winning streak.
- FanFest on Pratt Street runs 4–7 p.m. ahead of a near sellout crowd.
Why is the entire UConn team going to Hartford?
Amore reported that the Huskies did not just want a quick hello—they planned to be in the building to support two of the program's most illustrious recent stars. Kayleigh Heckel, who transferred to UConn from USC, told the Courant it was "really cool for our team to get to watch them play" and that you can always learn from players of that caliber.
Allie Ziebell echoed the sentiment, noting how rewarding it is to see Fudd grow more comfortable in the WNBA. For Geno Auriemma's current group, Thursday doubled as a field trip and a masterclass from former backcourt mates who won a national title together at Storrs.
What makes this Wings-Sun game a Huskies homecoming?
The Connecticut Sun are hosting the second of two 2026 games at PeoplesBank Arena before the franchise moves to Houston. Amore framed the July 2 tip as a parting gift to a state that saved the Sun—and a stage where Bueckers and Fudd could play in a building tied to some of their biggest UConn moments.
Yahoo Sports highlighted the bond before tipoff, when the league spotlighted Bueckers, Fudd and Sun forward Aaliyah Edwards with a social video captioned "Huskies forever." Even on opposite benches, three former UConn stars defined the pregame story in a state that treats Husky basketball like local legend status.
How do the Wings and Sun stack up on the court?
Dallas entered at 11-8 and firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture. Bueckers has been among the league's top guards, averaging 19.9 points, 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 51.3% from the field. Rookie Fudd added 13.6 points per game with 38.4% three-point shooting plus 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks.
Connecticut sat at 4-15 but arrived on a two-game winning streak after beating the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics. Edwards averaged 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Sun. Covers.com analyst Ed Scimia still liked Dallas to cover as a 6.5-point road favorite, citing the Wings' WNBA-best 1.88 assist-to-turnover ratio against a Sun offense ranked last in scoring at 79.3 points per game.
Is this the last Hartford chapter for Paige and Azzi?
Amore noted that Huskies fans wanting to see Bueckers and Fudd locally may soon need to travel to New York for the foreseeable future. For one more night, though, Connecticut gets its stars back—and the current Huskies get a front-row seat to how two No. 1 draft picks run a pro backcourt together.
Details on the matchup, odds and broadcast are available from Covers.com and the Hartford Courant.