Can anyone beat UConn in March Madness? Not likely, but if anyone has a shot, it’s these teams

Ever since the 2025-26 season tipped off, one question has persisted across the country and throughout the season. Can anyone beat UConn?

Through 34 games, the answer has been a resounding no. The defending champions have been tested at times, usually for no longer than a quarter — kudos to Michigan, Tennessee and Villanova for managing even that — but never enough to actually take down the Huskies.

“We haven’t varied that much from November to the tournament last week. We pretty much stayed at a certain level. No team is gonna be perfect for four months, five months, but we’ve been pretty consistent during all that time,” Geno Auriemma said Sunday. “I think our team has great confidence in what we’ve been able to do.”

UConn’s schedule wasn’t exactly overwhelming during the regular season. The Huskies didn’t face any of the other No. 1 seeds. Only one other tournament team came from the Big East, while the four nominal power conferences (Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12) all landed at least eight teams in the field.

Now that UConn has to match up against the best teams in the country, this is the time for their weaknesses — if there are any — to show in the light.

One statistic that stands out on the Huskies’ profile is the amount of 3-pointers they concede, an average of 25.1 per game. That isn’t inherently a bad thing. UConn protects the paint, which is the most valuable real estate on the floor, and opponents often resort to hoisting triples because they can’t generate any other shots against the Huskies’ defense.

If a team gets hot from beyond the arc, however, UConn won’t necessarily shift to take away the 3. The Huskies trust their base defense. That’s what allowed Michigan to nearly make a comeback in its November matchup, when Syla Swords shot 8 of 14 from beyond the arc. Villanova benefited from hot outside shooting when it took a halftime lead against UConn; the Wildcats made seven 3-pointers in the first half.

Twelve tournament teams have attempted at least 25 3-pointers per game, and two (Fairfield and Vanderbilt) are in the Huskies’ region. It’s improbable that the Stags would complete three upsets to get to the Elite Eight, but the Commodores are UConn’s most likely opponent in the Fort Worth 1 regional final. Not only is Vanderbilt 24th nationally in 3-point attempts, it is ninth in 3-point makes, cashing in on 36.4 percent of their tries. Mikayla Blakes, the nation’s leading scorer, can get up 3s as easily as Swords can, and the Commodores are used to playing at a fast pace, like the Huskies.

If Vanderbilt were to meet UConn in the regional final, it would be Shea Ralph’s first matchup as a head coach against Geno Auriemma. In theory, no one would understand how to beat the Huskies better than the former UConn star and 2000 Final Four most outstanding player.

Tennessee is another team that takes a high volume of 3-pointers, and the Lady Vols had success for about a half against the Huskies. What Tennessee did well, however, was turn UConn over. The Huskies had 10 turnovers in the first 20 minutes when they averaged only 12.6 per game. One of the few times Sarah Strong looked like an underclassman all season was against the Lady Vols’ full-court pressure.

Many teams employ some type of press on defense. Tennessee, Ohio State and Texas immediately come to mind. The Buckeyes are in UConn’s regional and are another potential Elite Eight foe. When the teams met earlier in the season, the Huskies had little difficulty dispatching Ohio State by 32 points and committed 13 turnovers in the process. The Buckeyes have improved significantly since — they force 21.6 turnovers per game. It was only three seasons ago that Kevin McGuff coached Ohio State to a victory over UConn in the Sweet 16 by forcing 25 turnovers.

The Longhorns loom as the toughest foe that plays full-court defense. Texas forces 22.7 turnovers per game, second among tournament teams to UConn. Coach Vic Schaefer believes in getting into a defensive stance the moment his players get off the bus, and with a deep roster, the Longhorns can afford to be physical without worrying about foul trouble.

Texas’ SEC tournament win against South Carolina provided the perfect proof of concept of how the Longhorns can fluster top opponents. Texas got into the Gamecocks’ air space from the jump, as Madison Booker literally moved in front of Raven Johnson to steal the opening tip. The Longhorns forced a veteran, championship-winning roster to commit five turnovers in its first six possessions, and they never looked back.

That’s the formula to disrupt UConn, and Texas can keep up that pressure for 40 minutes, provided it gets to the championship game to face the Huskies.

Then there is UCLA. The Bruins did not acquit themselves well in last season’s Final Four against the Huskies, falling behind early and failing to put up much of a fight afterward. UCLA also doesn’t defend in the full court, preferring to sit back and let Lauren Betts wreak havoc closer to the rim, and UConn excels against a set defense.

But the Bruins are the near-undisputed second-best team in the country behind the Huskies. The Bruins have added perimeter talent in the form of Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens. Kneepkens can do a damn good Swords impression. The fifth-year guard made 44.2 percent of her 3-pointers this season and isn’t shy about getting them up. She can warp an opposing defense beyond what UCLA’s guards were capable of last season, and that offensive firepower could keep the Bruins competitive with UConn.

The odds are still in the Huskies’ favor to complete an undefeated season. They lead the country in scoring differential, shooting percentage, assists per game, assist-to-turnover ratio and defensive rating, among a myriad of categories. They pounce on opponents’ weaknesses, not the other way around.

A program has gone wire-to-wire undefeated 10 times, and UConn owns six of those seasons. This is what Auriemma and his longtime assistant Chris Dailey do. Even if Vanderbilt, Texas or UCLA finds a way to put a scare into the Huskies, it’s smarter to not bet on UConn failing.