UConn hasn’t missed a beat since losing Paige Bueckers to the WNBA. Led by Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, UConn is just as dominant as ever—maybe even more so. The possibility of an undefeated season is becoming more and more realistic with every game. UConn already played four ranked teams this season: Louisville, Michigan, USC, and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Only Michigan could keep the game close, losing by three points. Otherwise, UConn has consistently crushed its opponents, including Jan Jensen’s Hawkeyes.
After the game, Jensen had a lot of praise for Geno Auriemma and his players and acknowledged how difficult they made it for her team to keep up on either end of the floor.
“You just got to be able to score against UConn,” Jensen said in the postgame media availability. “You have to be able to score with them because you will not stop them. So, you got to make the ones you should make, right?”
Scoring against UConn is easier said than done
UConn is one of the most competent offenses in the nation. They rank eighth in field-goal percentage, third in 3-point percentage, and first in assists per game and have a deep bench. With Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, UConn also has two star players who can take over a game.
So, to stand any chance against UConn, opposing teams have to make the shots they get because guarding the well-oiled machine Auriemma has built is no easy task. Michigan, which came close to beating UConn had two players combine for 47 points and shot efficiently from three. The Wolverines also created offense out of UConn’s miscues, scoring 22 points off turnovers.
UConn also has a strong defense, though. They only allow opponents to score an average of 52.9 points per game and even held USC to only 51 points. Converting on offense may be crucial to have a chance to keep up with UConn, but the Huskies definitely don’t make it easy for anyone to get the offense going.
The Hawkeyes tried their best against UConn
In the 2023-24 season, Iowa beat UConn to move on to the national championship game. Both teams look quite different now. UConn lost Aaliyah Edwards, Paige Bueckers, and Nika Mühl to the WNBA, but got Azzi Fudd back from injury, added Sarah Strong to the mix, and is developing Blanca Quiñonez. The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, saw Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin move on to the WNBA and now rely on Ava Heiden, Hannah Stuelke, and Chit-Chat Wright to lead the team.
Iowa put up a fight. Stuelke scored 17 points on 8-11 shooting and dished out five assists, and Wright got 16 points on 6-12 shooting. Taylor Stremlow was able to add 11 points off the bench. The Hawkeyes scored efficiently, converting 49% of their field-goal attempts and 47% of their 3-point shots. They also won the rebounding battle 34-25.
What doomed the Hawkeyes was their inability to take care of the ball. They turned the ball over 26 times, and UConn got 41 points off those turnovers. UConn also dominated the paint 40-24. Fudd and Strong combined for 50 points.
Although a tough loss, the game will help prepare Iowa for the rest of the season, including a tough next month with games against Nebraska, Michigan State, Maryland, Ohio State, USC, and UCLA.