On Thursday night, Geno Auriemma openly displayed his frustration as the No. 2 UConn Huskies fell 77-66 to the No. 5 Michigan Wolverines. This was only the second game of the season, yet the mood in the locker room was far from happy. Auriemma focused his postgame comments not on the final score, but on the lack of effort from his players when the game got tough. He told reporters after the game that the loss itself was not the main issue.
The scoring numbers show exactly where the team fell apart. UConn started strong in the first quarter, matching Michigan’s output. They also scored 24 points in the third quarter. But the middle and end of the game told a different story. The Huskies managed only eight points in the second quarter and just 13 in the fourth. This drop-off allowed Michigan to pull away. With seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a game-high 25 points, freshman guard Jovana Popovic led UConn. Star forward Sarah Strong added 13 points and eight rebounds before foul trouble cut her playing time short.
Too Much Reliance on Stars
Auriemma’s frustration stems from a clear pattern on the court. He watched his team wait for their best players to fix every problem. He described the scene where teammates stopped moving and just stared at the stars. “Everybody stands around, looks at Sarah [Strong] and looks at Jovana [Popovic] and says, ‘Bail us out,’ so I’m disappointed,” Auriemma expressed, according to Fox Sports. This mindset cost them the game. While Popovic and Strong played well, the rest of the roster failed to contribute enough. The team shot 41.5% from the field and only 25.8% from three-point range. They also committed 25 fouls and visited the free-throw line just seven times, while Michigan took 24 attempts.
Michigan had a balanced attack that UConn could not stop. Four Wolverines scored in double figures. Te’Yala Delfosse led the team with 22 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Olivia Olson, honored twice as an All-Big Ten selection, contributed four steals, four assists, eight rebounds, and 19 points. Courtney Ogden scored 12 points, and Syla Swords added 10. This depth overwhelmed the Huskies, who relied too heavily on their top scorers. The loss comes after a dominant 100-35 win over Cornell on Monday night, making the drop in performance even more stark.
Tough Road Ahead for UConn
The schedule does not get any easier for UConn in the coming weeks. Seven of their next nine games will be against ranked opponents. They will face No. 1 South Carolina, No. 4 Duke, and No. 7 Louisville. Last season’s NCAA Women’s Tournament semifinal round saw South Carolina defeat UConn, ending their perfect season. The Huskies must fix their mindset quickly or they will face more losses against top-tier teams. The No. 10-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes will be hosted for their next game on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET on FS1.
