How March Madness foes can end UConn’s run through bracket

The UConn Huskies are the defending nationwide champions and driving a 50-game profitable streak. They’ve the stingiest protection in Division I, permitting simply 50.4 PPG, and the second highest-scoring offense at 88.8. They’ve gained 12 NCAA titles and gone to the ladies’s Remaining 4 24 occasions. And now they’re the No. 1 general seed within the 2026 girls’s NCAA event.

This marks the tenth time the Huskies head into the event unbeaten, although the primary time since 2018 (they’re 6-3 for titles when getting into with an ideal file). For the six groups that will stand in UConn’s means for a title, it is going to be no straightforward feat to carry off the Huskies.

How do you start to cope with coach Geno Auriemma and UConn? We seemed for solutions, asking present and former Division I and WNBA coaches in addition to analysts how they may scout and put together for the Huskies.

These evaluators, who will stay nameless, acknowledged the immense issue of defeating an ultra-confident crew that’s 34-0 and in search of this system’s seventh excellent season. Led by nationwide participant of the yr favourite Sarah Strong and projected 2026 WNBA No. 1 draft decide Azzi Fudd, the Huskies have gained by double digits in each recreation however one this season.

UConn hosts No. 16 seed UTSA on Saturday within the Fort Value 1 Regional in its NCAA event opener. The Iowa State–Syracuse winner awaits in a possible second-round matchup. Both No. 4 seed North Carolina or No. 5 seed Maryland might await within the Candy 16, with No. 2 seed Vanderbilt or No. 3 seed Ohio State within the Elite Eight if chalk dominates.

The winner of Fort Value 1 performs the winner of Sacramento 4 within the Remaining 4, which probably could possibly be UConn-South Carolina, a rematch of the 2025 NCAA title recreation.

To snap UConn’s undefeated run will take maybe the most effective efficiency of the season by a crew. Here’s what the evaluators say may assist that occur, and the way the groups within the Huskies’ path within the bracket might problem them.

Do not lose earlier than you are taking the courtroom

The Huskies’ status would not simply precede them — it fills up each area they enter.

“They win so many video games earlier than the tip,” one evaluator stated.

First-round foe UTSA, the American Convention champion, is within the NCAA event for simply the third time, in comparison with UConn’s 37 appearances. However UTSA’s Karen Aston has confronted the Huskies within the NCAA event earlier than, again when she was Texas’ head coach in 2015 (Candy 16 loss) and 2016 (Elite Eight loss). Aston additionally took Charlotte to the NCAA event in 2009, so she has vital postseason expertise.

The Roadrunners had a program-record 26 wins final season however have been upset within the league event and did not make the NCAA area. However they did it this yr as a No. 6 seed within the American event. They’re 18-15 and enjoying their greatest now.

Is it lifelike to suppose they will problem UConn? No — just one No. 16 seed has ever defeated a No. 1 seed in girls’s NCAA event historical past. However UTSA additionally has nothing to lose. For UConn, the primary recreation is nearly staying wholesome and enjoying sharp.

Keep affected person together with your recreation plan

UConn is the most effective defensive crew within the nation. They defeated opponents by a median of 38.4 PPG this season and held them to 33.3% taking pictures, 27.4% from 3-point vary. The Huskies make foes work for each level, and it is exhausting to face.

“Groups get used to considering, ‘OK, we have got our first possibility and our second possibility — you are not going to get these towards UConn,” one evaluator stated. “It’s a must to be ready to run by means of your offense and perhaps get your third possibility. It’s a must to set nice screens and be disciplined.”

Within the second spherical, the Huskies would face the winner of No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Syracuse. The Cyclones, who tied for seventh within the Huge 12, revolve round junior heart Audi Crooks (25.5 PPG), however they’ve struggled throughout stretches and enter the NCAA event having misplaced three of their final 4 video games. Syracuse tied for fifth within the ACC and in addition has a powerful heart in Uche Izoje, the ACC freshman of the yr.

UConn will make it onerous for Crooks or Izoje to get the ball the place they need it. That is the place endurance is a should.

“You possibly can’t simply anticipate to get open towards them,” an evaluator stated. “You are not going to get a pick-and-roll proper off the bat. You are going to need to reverse it, go high-low. In the event that they’re overplaying, you search for backdoors. And in case your offense requires quite a lot of ball screens, you need to understand how they’re guarding them.”

“It’s a must to take pleasure in it. It’s a must to embrace it. It’s a must to just like the problem.”

-Geno Auriemma to @sportsiren on what he is discovered from teaching in March 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ZORzPGkJtq

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 16, 2026

Do not panic! Attempt to management the tempo

This goes hand-in-hand with endurance. The Huskies present no mercy. They’ll stretch a lead from 5 to fifteen to 25 in what looks like seconds. They are going to demoralize your protection. They are going to make your offense disappear.

“A crew dealing with them can be like, ‘Oh, properly, right here they go once more,'” an evaluator stated. “It’s a must to do one thing to gradual issues down. Name a timeout, though you need to use your timeouts properly.”

A part of avoiding the panic shouldn’t be letting the Huskies dictate the tempo.

“I am curious how UConn would deal with constant full-court defensive stress, like what we see from Texas,” an evaluator stated. “UConn’s quarter-court offense is so good and rhythmic; it depends on passes and cuts.

“If a crew has the personnel and elegance to be bodily — is allowed to bump cutters — and it denies passing lanes, it could possibly be difficult for UConn.”

The Huskies would not meet fellow No. 1 seed Texas until they play for the nationwide championship, however within the Candy 16, they may face No. 4 North Carolina or No. 5 Maryland. The Tar Heels have been third within the ACC in factors allowed (59.0) and the Terps have been sixth in that class within the Huge Ten.

South Carolina, which could possibly be UConn’s nationwide semifinal foe, permits 57.9 PPG, second within the SEC to Texas (56.6).

Keep away from turnovers as a lot as potential

Every little thing concerning the Huskies’ offense is frightening, however their transition factors could be essentially the most horrifying. UConn forces 24.5 turnovers per recreation and scores 33.6 PPG off them.

“UConn is all the time actually good in transition,” an evaluator stated. “It’s a must to actually focus a lot on caring for the ball.”

The Huskies power turnovers in methods many different groups cannot, with their relentlessness and their potential to remove passing lanes.

“You possibly can attempt to press them,” one evaluator stated. “However then you need to cope with their stress protection.”

No opposing coach is aware of how UConn’s protection works higher than Vanderbilt’s Shea Ralph, a former star Huskies participant and assistant coach. Her No. 2 seed Vanderbilt crew might face UConn within the Elite Eight. The Commodores have dedicated a median of 13.1 turnovers per recreation this season, fourth within the SEC. Vandy’s turnover margin is plus-7.35, second within the SEC to Texas’ 10.62.

Make 3-pointers — quite a lot of them

Each evaluator we spoke with talked about 3-pointers as critically vital towards the Huskies. UConn leads Division I in 3-point share at 39.6. Fudd is the Huskies’ most correct from behind the arc at 44.6% (104 of 233). Robust shoots 42.7% from 3-point vary (53 of 124), and Allie Ziebell 43.2% (57 of 132).

Among the many different No. 1 seeds, UCLA shoots 37.5% from 3-point vary, South Carolina 37.1 and Texas 33.9. The Longhorns even have the fewest 3s among the many No. 1s with 146. UConn has 322, UCLA 242 and South Carolina 206.

If any crew can get the higher hand on UConn — both by outshooting them from behind the arc or limiting them there — it might have an opportunity.

“You need to power them analytically to their weaknesses, if they’ve any,” an evaluator stated. “Do not let Azzi beat you from exterior. Do not let Sarah beat you. Attempt to make them give it up.”

It isn’t not possible to defeat UConn with out excelling from behind the arc, but it surely makes a tough activity even more durable. One evaluator identified Michigan‘s 12 3-pointers in a 72-69 loss in November, the closest any crew has come to UConn this season.

“How are you going to get 3s towards them?” the evaluator stated. “It’s a must to make some powerful, contested pictures. That is what Michigan did.”

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Benefit from dimension inside

The Huskies aren’t only a nice 3-point taking pictures crew; they’re excellent inside, too. However one evaluator identified that maybe a crew with a dominant heart might pose some issues.

“UCLA might have an opportunity due to that 6-foot-7 inside,” the evaluator stated, referring to senior heart Lauren Betts. “They must hit from the surface, too, however I feel to beat UConn it’ll take somebody who has that form of expert large.”

The Huskies and Bruins would not meet till the championship recreation this season. In final yr’s nationwide semifinals, Betts was the one Bruin who performed properly towards the Huskies in an 85-51 loss. She had 26 factors on 11-of-18 taking pictures.

This season, Betts was Huge Ten participant of the yr, averaging 16.4 factors and eight.6 rebounds whereas taking pictures a career-high 65.6% from the sphere. Her teammates have offered quite a lot of assist, with three others averaging in double figures for a crew that averages 85.1 PPG.

The underside line: If anybody goes to defeat UConn, they want for all the things to be working at its greatest.

“UConn normally has 5 individuals on courtroom who can harm you,” an evaluator stated. “You probably have somebody on courtroom who cannot harm them, they comprehend it. They’re actually sensible, and so they’ll play off them. If one in all your individuals is not being guarded, then they higher be a terrific screener.

“In any other case, you are simply going to start out jacking up pictures, and that is it.”