UConn head coach Geno Auriemma talks with forward Sarah Strong during first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Creighton in the semifinals of the Big East tournament, Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Jessica Hill/AP
STORRS — The 2026-27 regular season is two weeks away, yet UConn women’s basketball will face its first challenge of the year Monday when it hosts Texas in an exhibition in Hartford.
The Longhorns are the Huskies’ toughest preseason opponent in recent years. And while the game won’t count toward anything, it’ll likely have the biggest impact on the Huskies’ preparation for the upcoming season.
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Texas has reached back-to-back Final Fours. It won the 2026 SEC tournament and boasts one of the best forwards in the nation in All-American senior Madison Booker. This year, the Longhorns were predicted to finish second in the SEC to South Carolina with Booker a Preseason All-SEC First-Team selection.
“You want to try to, most times anyway, get a team to play against that can challenge you in a lot of different areas, and I’m sure they’re (Texas) thinking the same thing,” Geno Auriemma said after practice Saturday. “You know, let’s go play a team that will challenge us in different areas in a non-threatening situation. And you go to practice the following week, and you have a much clearer picture of what you want to work on. So, I think you’re going to see more of these so-called high-profile exhibition games.”
UConn hasn’t seen the Longhorns since a December 2023 trip to Austin resulted in an 80-68 Texas win. Husky seniors KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade were freshmen in that meeting and combined for 16 points. Booker had 20 points, four assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block.
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Last Monday, in their first exhibition of the year, the Huskies outscored Syracuse 23-8 in the first 10 minutes and led by over 30 in the fourth quarter. This Monday, the Longhorns are expected to put up a bigger fight as they’re more evenly matched with UConn.
And even though the Huskies aren’t playing Texas in the non-conference this season, the Longhorns play a similar style to the teams UConn is scheduled to play, especially South Carolina.
“We have a great schedule this year, and playing Texas really gives us a heads-up of what it’s going to be like down the line for the preseason and for non-conference games and stuff like that,” Arnold said. “So, it’s going to be a great game between two great teams, and I’m very excited for it.”
Monday is UConn’s second-to-last preseason tune-up. The Huskies will close out the preseason by hosting Army in an exhibition next Sunday, Oct. 25, in Storrs.
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Here are three things to look for in Monday’s exhibition vs. Texas:
Stiffer competition means better preparation
Monday’s game will give Auriemma the best look at his new team ahead of the new year. He’ll learn how players step up when the game gets tough and how they respond if/when they find themselves trailing. Monday’s game is also expected to be more physical than last week’s against Syracuse. Seeing how players handle that increased competitiveness will not only expose UConn’s early weaknesses but show who can keep their poise and lead when needed.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma smiles in the fourth quarter during a preseason exhibition game against Syracuse at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., Monday, October 12, 2026.
Dave Zajac/Hearst Connecticut Media
“Even in practice, we’re giving them more opportunities right now to problem solve for themselves. Because how else are we going to find out whose voice is the voice and who’s talking and who’s listening?” Auriemma said. “If it’s always me talking and them listening, (it’s) probably not ideal. There’s got to be more of them finding out who their voice is. The other thing is, you want them to be paying attention to what works, what doesn’t work.”
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Madison Booker poses early frontcourt test
The Huskies limited Syracuse star big Uche Izoje to just 2-of-12 from the floor. Yet, Booker poses a tougher challenge as the Longhorn star has more experience playing against the nation’s best and biggest frontcourt players. Last year, she averaged 18.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game, and shot a career-best 50.8% from the floor.
Outside of Booker, who’s built similar to Sarah Strong and stands at 6-foot-1, the Longhorns’ frontcourt also boasts four players who are at least 6-3, including 6-6 junior center Lovisa Asbrink Hose and 6-4 senior forward Breya Cunningham.
UConn’s Sarah Strong tries to penetrate the Syracuse defense during a preseason exhibition game at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., Monday, October 12, 2026.
Dave Zajac/Hearst Connecticut Media
“I think it’s really important for us to just have that right now at this time of the season,” said UConn redshirt junior Jana El Alfy about Texas’ frontcourt. “I know it’s early; we didn’t have that last year, so I think it’s really important to prepare us kind of early before everything starts. I think it’s also going to help the new guys to try to have an idea of what it’s going to look like later on.”
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Strong will take the brunt of defending Booker, with help from El Alfy and freshman center Olivia Vukosa. Vukosa impressed in her unofficial debut last Monday against Izoje. However, Texas will challenge Vukosa even more as she’ll have to keep her composure while handling increased physicality.
An improved outside presence
UConn’s biggest flaw in its exhibition win over the Orange was its outside shooting. The Huskies finished the game just 3-of-22 from the 3-point line.
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Allie Ziebell (ankle) missed last week’s game but is expected to play against the Longhorns. The junior guard is UConn’s best returning perimeter shooter after posting a 41.1 percent clip from deep last season. Ziebell’s presence not only spreads the Huskies’ offense out but also alleviates the scoring pressure on Strong, which will be key against Booker and the Longhorns’ tall frontcourt.