Geno Auriemma Leads Unbeaten UConn to Ninth Final Four Appearance
Geno Auriemma will coach an unbeaten UConn squad into the women’s Final Four for a ninth Final Four appearance. The Huskies enter Phoenix at 38-0 and carry a 54-game winning streak. This run began during last season’s championship year.
Team profile and style
This roster lacks the on-court swagger of some past UConn teams. Auriemma calls them hardworking and tight-knit. They rely on balanced play instead of trash-talking bravado.
Key players
Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong are AP All-America teammates pursuing a second national title. Fudd is a fifth-year guard and last season’s Final Four most outstanding player. She returned from a torn ACL and now averages a career-best 17.5 points per game.
Strong averages 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Blanca Quiñonez, the Big East’s top freshman and the conference’s top sixth player, has scored at least 15 points in every NCAA Tournament game. She has made 27 of 43 shots in the tournament, a 62.7 percent clip.
Three-time All-America guard and WNBA top overall pick Paige Bueckers helped start the current winning streak during last year’s title run. Her presence remains an important part of the roster’s depth.
Statistical dominance
UConn ranks first nationally in scoring margin, with an NCAA-best average of 37.8 points per game. Their only game decided by fewer than 13 points was a 72-69 win over Michigan in November.
The team set NCAA single-season marks with 890 assists (23.4 per game) and 597 steals (15.7 per game). They also lead the nation in scoring defense at 50.1 points allowed per game. UConn shoots 52 percent as a team and holds opponents to 33.4 percent shooting.
Final Four setup
The Huskies are one of four No. 1 seeds in Phoenix. The same quartet reached last year’s Final Four. UConn will face South Carolina in a semifinal rematch of last season’s national title game. South Carolina enters with a 35-3 record.
This appearance marks UConn’s 25th Final Four in the 44 years since the women’s NCAA Tournament began.
Historical context
Auriemma is the winningest coach in men’s or women’s college basketball. He has 1,288 career victories and 12 national championships. Six of his national title teams finished undefeated.
UConn’s lone 40-0 season came in 2014, when Breanna Stewart was a sophomore. The program’s last undefeated national title was 2016, a 38-0 squad featuring Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson.
The Huskies’ 111-game winning streak ended in 2017 on a last-second basket by Morgan William. Mississippi State won 66-64. The following year, Notre Dame stunned UConn 91-89 on a late jumper by Arike Ogunbowale.
Legacy and outlook
UConn’s current run could give Auriemma only his second 40-0 season in 41 seasons. The team’s depth, defensive identity and historic efficiency make them a heavy favorite.
Filmogaz.com will continue covering the unbeaten UConn march through March Madness. Fans will watch to see if Auriemma’s group can finish what it started.
