Geno Auriemma is the standard for consistent excellence in college basketball. Year after year, he assembles strong, star-studded rosters that compete for a national championship.
This season’s roster is no different. Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong are the team’s big-time stars, but KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, Serah Williams, Kayleigh Heckel, Blanca Quiñonez, and Allie Ziebell, as well as the rest of the roster, all contribute to UConn’s success as well. With few injuries, UConn’s depth is intact for the first time in a while, and it’s been causing issues for other teams.
Jan Jensen said after UConn’s win over Iowa, “He [Auriemma] has people who can start that come off the bench, like Allie Ziebell. I recruited the heck out of her. That kid is amazing, and she’s coming off the bench.” Jensen also noted that, as an opposing coach, you can’t even be relieved when UConn subs out one of its starters because of how strong the bench is.
She added, “These games show all of us who play them how far you got to go with your depth.”
UConn’s depth is impressive
UConn has four players who average over 20 minutes per game: Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong, KK Arnold, and Ashlynn Shade. Serah Williams, Kayleigh Heckel, and Blanca Quiñonez all average over 18 minutes per game. Allie Ziebell and Jana El Alfy are the other two players averaging double-digit minutes.
Some of the players on UConn’s roster could have bigger roles on other teams. Ziebell, for example, was ranked in the top ten in the class of 2024 by ESPN. Nevertheless, she plays a relatively small role for UConn. As a freshman, she only averaged 8.2 minutes per game. This season, that number is up to 14.8, and she is one of UConn’s most efficient 3-point shooters. Ziebell could have played a bigger role in a different program, but playing for a coach who regularly develops some of the best pros in the game is still appealing for many players. Because of its reputation, UConn regularly attracts high-end talent and can build stacked rosters.
Depth is crucial in the college game
If a WNBA team suffers too many injuries, it can sign players on hardship contracts or make a trade to bring in additional talent. College teams do not have that option. If a player goes down with an injury, someone else on the roster has to step up.
For that reason, it’s so important to build deep rosters and have a bench filled with players ready to take on a bigger role if need be. Not having that puts a lot of pressure on teams’ stars.
South Carolina, for example, only has ten available players due to Chloe Kitts’s season-ending knee injury, and many bench players are very inexperienced. So, Dawn Staley has to lean heavily on her starting five and play several players for around 30 minutes per game. Just one more injury or absence could change the trajectory of the season.
Likewise, Texas has only seven players who played in all or almost all of the team’s games, and three players average over 30 minutes per game.