How March Madness foes can end UConn's run through bracket

The UConn Huskies are the defending national champions and riding a 50-game winning streak. They have the stingiest defense in Division I, allowing just 50.4 PPG, and the second highest-scoring offense at 88.8. They've won 12 NCAA titles and gone to the women's Final Four 24 times. And now they're the No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 women's NCAA tournament.

This marks the 10th time the Huskies head into the tournament unbeaten, though the first time since 2018 (they're 6-3 for titles when entering with a perfect record). For the six teams that would stand in UConn's way for a title, it will be no easy feat to hold off the Huskies.

How do you begin to contend with coach Geno Auriemma and UConn? We looked for answers, asking current and former Division I and WNBA coaches as well as analysts how they might scout and prepare for the Huskies.

These evaluators, who will remain anonymous, acknowledged the immense difficulty of defeating an ultra-confident team that is 34-0 and seeking the program's seventh perfect season. Led by national player of the year favorite Sarah Strong and projected 2026 WNBA No. 1 draft pick Azzi Fudd, the Huskies have won by double digits in every game but one this season.

UConn hosts No. 16 seed UTSA on Saturday in the Fort Worth 1 Regional in its NCAA tournament opener. The Iowa State-Syracuse winner awaits in a potential second-round matchup. Either No. 4 seed North Carolina or No. 5 seed Maryland could await in the Sweet 16, with No. 2 seed Vanderbilt or No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Elite Eight if chalk dominates.

The winner of Fort Worth 1 plays the winner of Sacramento 4 in the Final Four, which potentially could be UConn-South Carolina, a rematch of the 2025 NCAA title game.

To snap UConn's undefeated run will take perhaps the best performance of the season by a team. Here is what the evaluators say might help that happen, and how the teams in the Huskies' path in the bracket could challenge them.

Don't lose before you take the court

The Huskies' reputation doesn't just precede them -- it fills up every arena they enter.

"They win so many games before the tip," one evaluator said.

First-round foe UTSA, the American Conference champion, is in the NCAA tournament for just the third time, compared to UConn's 37 appearances. But UTSA's Karen Aston has faced the Huskies in the NCAA tournament before, back when she was Texas' head coach in 2015 (Sweet 16 loss) and 2016 (Elite Eight loss). Aston also took Charlotte to the NCAA tournament in 2009, so she has significant postseason experience.

The Roadrunners had a program-record 26 wins last season but were upset in the league tournament and didn't make the NCAA field. But they did it this year as a No. 6 seed in the American tournament. They are 18-15 and playing their best now.

Is it realistic to think they can challenge UConn? No -- only one No. 16 seed has ever defeated a No. 1 seed in women's NCAA tournament history. But UTSA also has nothing to lose. For UConn, the first game is just about staying healthy and playing sharp.

Stay patient with your game plan

UConn is the best defensive team in the country. They defeated opponents by an average of 38.4 PPG this season and held them to 33.3% shooting, 27.4% from 3-point range. The Huskies make foes work for every point, and it's exhausting to face.

"Teams get used to thinking, 'OK, we've got our first option and our second option -- you're not going to get those against UConn," one evaluator said. "You have to be prepared to run through your offense and maybe get your third option. You have to set great screens and be disciplined."

In the second round, the Huskies would face the winner of No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Syracuse. The Cyclones, who tied for seventh in the Big 12, revolve around junior center Audi Crooks (25.5 PPG), but they have struggled during stretches and enter the NCAA tournament having lost three of their last four games. Syracuse tied for fifth in the ACC and also has a strong center in Uche Izoje, the ACC freshman of the year.

UConn will make it hard for Crooks or Izoje to get the ball where they want it. That's where patience is a must.

"You can't just expect to get open against them," an evaluator said. "You're not going to get a pick-and-roll right off the bat. You're going to have to reverse it, go high-low. If they're overplaying, you look for backdoors. And if your offense requires a lot of ball screens, you have to know how they're guarding them."

Don't panic! Try to control the pace

This goes hand-in-hand with patience. The Huskies show no mercy. They can stretch a lead from 5 to 15 to 25 in what seems like seconds. They will demoralize your defense. They will make your offense disappear.

"A team facing them will be like, 'Oh, well, here they go again,'" an evaluator said. "You have to do something to slow things down. Call a timeout, although you have to use your timeouts wisely."

Part of avoiding the panic is not letting the Huskies dictate the pace.

"I'm curious how UConn would handle consistent full-court defensive pressure, like what we see from Texas," an evaluator said. "UConn's quarter-court offense is so good and rhythmic; it relies on passes and cuts.

"If a team has the personnel and style to be physical -- is allowed to bump cutters -- and it denies passing lanes, it could be challenging for UConn."

The Huskies wouldn't meet fellow No. 1 seed Texas unless they play for the national championship, but in the Sweet 16, they could face No. 4 North Carolina or No. 5 Maryland. The Tar Heels were third in the ACC in points allowed (59.0) and the Terps were sixth in that category in the Big Ten.

South Carolina, which could be UConn's national semifinal foe, allows 57.9 PPG, second in the SEC to Texas (56.6).

Avoid turnovers as much as possible

Everything about the Huskies' offense is scary, but their transition points might be the most frightening. UConn forces 24.5 turnovers per game and scores 33.6 PPG off them.

"UConn is always really good in transition," an evaluator said. "You have to really focus so much on taking care of the ball."

The Huskies force turnovers in ways many other teams can't, with their relentlessness and their ability to take away passing lanes.

"You can try to press them," one evaluator said. "But then you have to deal with their pressure defense."

No opposing coach knows how UConn's defense works better than Vanderbilt's Shea Ralph, a former star Huskies player and assistant coach. Her No. 2 seed Vanderbilt team could face UConn in the Elite Eight. The Commodores have committed an average of 13.1 turnovers per game this season, fourth in the SEC. Vandy's turnover margin is plus-7.35, second in the SEC to Texas' 10.62.

Make 3-pointers -- a lot of them

Every evaluator we spoke with mentioned 3-pointers as critically important against the Huskies. UConn leads Division I in 3-point percentage at 39.6. Fudd is the Huskies' most accurate from behind the arc at 44.6% (104 of 233). Strong shoots 42.7% from 3-point range (53 of 124), and Allie Ziebell 43.2% (57 of 132).

Among the other No. 1 seeds, UCLA shoots 37.5% from 3-point range, South Carolina 37.1 and Texas 33.9. The Longhorns also have the fewest 3s among the No. 1s with 146. UConn has 322, UCLA 242 and South Carolina 206.

If any team can get the upper hand on UConn -- either by outshooting them from behind the arc or limiting them there -- it could have a chance.

"You want to force them analytically to their weaknesses, if they have any," an evaluator said. "Don't let Azzi beat you from outside. Don't let Sarah beat you. Try to make them give it up."

It's not impossible to defeat UConn without excelling from behind the arc, but it makes a hard task even harder. One evaluator pointed out Michigan's 12 3-pointers in a 72-69 loss in November, the closest any team has come to UConn this season.

"How are you going to get 3s against them?" the evaluator said. "You have to make some tough, contested shots. That's what Michigan did."

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Take advantage of size inside

The Huskies aren't just a great 3-point shooting team; they are very good inside, too. But one evaluator pointed out that perhaps a team with a dominant center could pose some problems.

"UCLA may have a chance because of that 6-foot-7 inside," the evaluator said, referring to senior center Lauren Betts. "They will have to hit from the outside, too, but I think to beat UConn it's going to take someone who has that kind of skilled big."

The Huskies and Bruins wouldn't meet until the championship game this season. In last year's national semifinals, Betts was the only Bruin who played well against the Huskies in an 85-51 loss. She had 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting.

This season, Betts was Big Ten player of the year, averaging 16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting a career-high 65.6% from the field. Her teammates have provided a lot of support, with three others averaging in double figures for a team that averages 85.1 PPG.

The bottom line: If anyone is going to defeat UConn, they need for everything to be working at its best.

"UConn usually has five people on court who can hurt you," an evaluator said. "If you have someone on court who can't hurt them, they know it. They're really smart, and they'll play off them. If one of your people isn't being guarded, then they better be a great screener.

"Otherwise, you're just going to start jacking up shots, and that's it."