Seven seasons after the last national championship, UConn women’s basketball is in its longest title slump since its first win in 1995. 49 – First loss in a national championship match.
UConn has struggled over the last few years, but Geno Auriemma is confident the 12th banner will come eventually.
“I’m going to win one more. It’s a matter of when,” he told reporters before First Night. Good for me.”
It doesn’t help that UConn won four straight national championships and six of the previous eight before this six-year stretch without a championship.
Auriemma said of the Breanna Stewart era that saw UConn win four titles in four years.
It’s not that the huskies weren’t around. They have qualified for the Final Four every year, and last season they were in the championship game. Each time, they lost in different but equally heartbreaking ways.
In 2017 and 2018, UConn went undefeated to reach the Final Four, but lost to Mississippi State and Notre Dame respectively in overtime buzzer beaters. In 2019, the Huskies led by nine in the fourth quarter before the offense cooled and the Fighting Irish emerged victorious. In 2021, UConn lost to No. 3 seed Arizona in a game that was never close. Last year, the Huskies had an upset victory over Stanford in the semifinals and suffered injury and illness in the final against South Carolina.
The last six years have shown how difficult it is to win a national championship. They also made UConn’s sporting dominance more impressive.
“I am really grateful for the opportunity we have now,” said Auriemma. “What did we go to? Fourteen in a row — Final Four? The next one is two in a row? So it’s very hard to get there, much less to win.”
The Huskies have not adjusted their expectations this season, but Paige Bookers will miss the entire campaign due to a torn ACL. After all, national championship or bust.
“We are national championship contenders until we are knocked out. When that day comes, we will be nowhere,” Auriemma said. We have the potential to win a national championship more than anyone else and we’ll see where that takes us. We don’t have as many chances as we did in June, but we still have a chance.”
More news from First Night
UConn will hold a private scrimmage on Oct. 22, but Auriemma said no details could be revealed until that happens. This would be the second year in a row that the Huskies will make Secret his scrimmage after hosting Boston College’s preseason.
As for injuries, Ayanna Patterson did not participate in the dunk contest due to an ankle injury.
“Last week she twisted her ankle a little bit,” Auriema said. “Like most young children, she wouldn’t let her miss a few days of practice.”
UConn is also keeping an eye on players returning from surgery: Aubrey Griffin (back), Dorka Juhas (wrist) and Caroline Ducharm (hip). They attend practice, but the team is only limiting their time on the floor.
“We have everyone on the court, but not everyone on the court all the time,” Auriema said. “So it might take a little while to catch up…they’re doing a lot, but they’re doing it in a short amount of time.”
