UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) drives on Michigan forward Ciara Byars (23) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, in in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Paul Sancya/AP Photo/Paul Sancya
STORRS — The No. 2 UConn women’s basketball team failed its first test of the season Thursday at No. 5 Michigan.
Against No. 10 Iowa in Storrs on Sunday, the Huskies will be out to prove they have what it takes to overcome their first hurdle of the year and respond accordingly.
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“We just can’t let that happen again,” said Sarah Strong on Saturday.
Geno Auriemma called Thursday’s loss “the worst UConn performance” in over two decades. The Huskies didn’t look anything like themselves. Sure, Strong sat the majority of the first half in foul trouble, but UConn’s defense looked like a shell of itself, lacking its usual energy and aggressiveness.
And thanks to UConn’s jam-packed competitive schedule, there’s no time to wallow. The Hawkeyes are UConn’s second-straight top-10 matchup and its second in a string of four straight games against top-18 ranked opponents. Expect some flaws to be fixed Sunday.
ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 05: UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma walks off of the court following the conclusion a regular season non-conference college women’s basketball game between the UConn Huskies and the Michigan Wolverines on November 5, 2026 at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Also on Sunday, Azzi Fudd will be inducted into the Huskies of Honor. Fudd’s induction ceremony will take place before the game. The guard earned All-American honors last year, making her eligible to join the program’s prestigious ring of honor.
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Despite battling injuries throughout her five years in Storrs, Fudd finished her collegiate career as one of UConn’s all-time greatest 3-point shooters.
Here are three keys to UConn’s game vs. Iowa:
A more vocal defense
For the first time in a long time, UConn’s defense totally deflated. And it had nothing to do with Michigan. There was no communication and intensity. The poor defense failed to kickstart the Huskies’ offense, causing even more issues.
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 5: Jovana Popovic #13 and Allie Ziebell #11 of the UConn Huskies speak during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on November 5, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)
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“(We were) not communicating, and I feel like it showed up in practice a little bit. And like Coach said, the little stuff that shows up, it will ultimately show (in games),” point guard KK Arnold said.
Defense is all energy and effort — intangibles that Auriemma and his staff can’t teach. The Huskies will need to defend better in order to beat the Hawkeyes.
‘Join the band’
Even though Auriemma regrets not pulling Strong quicker during Thursday’s first quarter after her second foul, the Huskies’ head coach needs his star to play with more caution. Strong can’t be on the bench for prolonged periods of time if UConn wants to win. Freshman Jovana Popovic can score when needed, but the Huskies need Strong’s IQ and experience on the floor at all times.
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“Obviously, I just have to be smarter. I can’t leave my team out to try like that,” Strong said. “I know I need to be there to play with them, and I just can’t be stupid like that.”
ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 05: Michigan Wolverines guard Kendall Dudley (22) calls for the ball while being defended by UConn Huskies forward Sarah Strong (21) during an inbounds play during the fourth quarter of a regular season non-conference college women’s basketball game between the UConn Huskies and the Michigan Wolverines on November 5, 2026 at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Expect Strong and her teammates to shape up. Auriemma was most disappointed that no one stepped up when needed. At halftime, 11 Huskies had played, yet only four had scored. Not everyone needs to score 25 points a night, but the Huskies need more from their reserves and role players — especially when Strong is unavailable — to keep UConn afloat.
“(Games) are generally not won just because you have some stars on the court,” Auriemma said. “They’re won because your role players play their role perfectly, and that’s what (Michigan) did. … And that’s what we need. We need our other players, other than Sarah and Jovana, to, you know, join the band here.”
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No time to dwell
This game comes at the right time. The Huskies can’t take their foot off the gas as the Hawkeyes will challenge them, similar to the Wolverines. Auriemma and the Huskies’ frustrations from Thursday’s loss are still fresh and raw. No matter how the game ends, how UConn responds will be the greatest takeaway.
“I feel like it’s a great thing, and it gives us a quick turnaround to not really dwell in the past,” Arnold said. “Like, we did what we did, we lost whatever, but now we have to move forward and focus on the next team. And I feel like that’s what we’re doing, learning from our mistakes and kind of going from there and going back to UConn basketball and playing our game.”
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 5: The UConn Huskies bench celebrates a first half play against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on November 5, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)
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Thursday was UConn’s first regular-season loss since February 2025, but the Huskies know they can grow from losses.
“I feel like it helps hitting that rock early instead of later on the season, when we will regret it, but making sure that we hit it early and we learn from this,” said Arnold on having an early-season loss. “We look at this film from this game and understand that we never want to be this version of this team ever.”