NEW YORK — On Sunday evening, the premier UConn Huskies concluded their 11th flawless regular season in the team’s records, securing an 85-49 victory against St. John’s. This achievement places them just nine triumphs shy of securing consecutive national championships and marks their seventh unblemished season.
“To navigate 31 contests and emerge victorious in each is truly a fortunate accomplishment, something to be proud of,” remarked UConn coach Geno Auriemma. “It’s an excellent feat, and they ought to feel quite pleased with it.”
Sarah Strong, a contender for national player of the year, further stated: “Our coach entered [the locker room and] conveyed his pride in us. We also possess numerous areas for improvement in preparation for the Big East tournament, so let’s savor this victory currently and prepare to recommence our efforts.”
The triumph on Sunday evening represented the Huskies’ 47th uninterrupted victory, equaling the fifth-most extended winning streak in Division I annals. UConn notably holds five of the top six such sequences. Their most recent defeat occurred on Feb. 6, 2025, against Tennessee.
The Huskies culminated their impeccable regular season before an audience of 9,612 spectators, who packed the lower tier of Madison Square Garden for the arena’s inaugural exclusive women’s collegiate basketball game.
Auriemma asserted that his squad’s 31-0 campaign was not a simple endeavor, especially as his athletes contend with unmatched strain, “grappling with the specters” of the program’s fabled history.
Nevertheless, the Huskies have undoubtedly presented it as such during their games. Their scoring differential of plus-37.8 this season is projected to be the third-greatest in DI history, surpassed only by two former UConn rosters.
Sunday brought a continuation of their dominant performance for the Huskies, as they utilized a 24-9 opening quarter to destabilize the host team, St. John’s.
Ultimately, they achieved a 57% shooting percentage for the game and compelled 22 turnovers, again showcasing their profound roster depth, with six athletes concluding with a minimum of nine points.
The pressure on UConn will escalate as the team anticipates the Big East tournament, where they are scheduled to meet either Georgetown or Butler in Saturday’s quarterfinal match, and subsequently, the NCAA tournament. The Huskies have been designated the top overall seed in both preliminary bracket announcements.
Despite external discourse suggesting the Huskies have surpassed their previous season’s performance, Auriemma dismisses this idea, especially considering they no longer possess the leadership and reliance of superstar and top WNBA draft selection, Paige Bueckers.
“Indeed, I believe that once the NCAA tournament commences, it will unequivocally not be as straightforward as our experience last season,” Auriemma stated. “I feel an individual like Paige possesses the ability to [dominate the postseason]. We possess a sufficient number of capable athletes to contend for a national championship with as strong a probability as any other team.”
The mentor possesses an abundance of skill, featuring two probable All-Americans in Strong and Azzi Fudd, alongside additional choices available from the reserves. However, Auriemma understands that the regular season frequently holds limited significance for March Madness. In the prior season, his roster accumulated three defeats and entered as a second seed prior to their commanding journey to the program’s 12th national championship, their first since 2016. On the two prior occasions when his teams began the postseason unblemished — in 2017 and 2018 — both collectives suffered crushing eliminations in the Final Four.
“Typically, the most proficient squad often secures the national championship, though not invariably,” Auriemma commented. “It’s the ensemble that coalesces at the opportune moment. We possess an outstanding cohort. We are capable of executing a variety of strategies, and our defensive play has been truly exceptional throughout the entire season. Therefore, if we maintain that approach, we will possess an opportunity.”
“The postseason will undoubtedly feature numerous fluctuations,” Strong appended, “thus, I believe that mutual support and camaraderie among all members will prove beneficial for us.”