UConn beat Syracuse by 28 points on Monday, and the scoreboard is the least useful number from that game, with the real test waiting tonight against Texas. The Huskies defeated the Orange 88-60 at Mohegan Sun Arena, exactly what you’d expect on paper from a Final Four team against a Syracuse squad that’s rebuilding, not playing for a tournament bid. Then check the shooting chart: UConn went 3-for-23 from three, a number ugly enough that Geno Auriemma spent his postgame comments on transition defense instead of a blowout win:
The UConn women’s basketball team defeated Syracuse, 88-60, in an exhibition game at Mohegan Sun Arena on Monday night. https://t.co/tdRWMd2BBr
— Hartford Courant (@hartfordcourant) October 13, 2026
“I thought the defense in transition was really bad,” Auriemma said. “And they took advantage of that.”
Seven Huskies scored in double figures — Sarah Strong led with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals, KK Arnold added 11, and Olivia Vukosa came off the bench for 10 points and nine boards. That’s genuine depth, and it’s also a convenient way to spread the blame around for a three-point line that would get you benched in most rec leagues. Depth covers up bad shooting nights. It doesn’t fix them, and 3-for-23 isn’t a one-game fluke you shrug off — it’s the kind of number that shows up again in March if NOBODY addresses it before then.
The 3-Point Shooting Red Flag
Strong, at least, isn’t the problem. The junior enters this season ranked as the most efficient returning player in women’s college basketball, and Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack said after Monday’s loss that Strong is “a No. 1 draft pick whenever she decides to go to the league.” Fine. Noted. None of that explains why a team built to cut down nets in April is shooting worse from the arc than plenty of decent high school rotations.
Why Texas Is Actually the Measuring Stick
Which is what makes tonight at PeoplesBank Arena the actual test, not the Syracuse game. Texas reached the Final Four last season too, and the program just sold out season tickets for the first time in its history. The Longhorns are bringing Madison Booker, who became the first player in Texas program history to reach 1,800 points, 600 rebounds and 400 assists in just three seasons. Two teams that both know how to win in April are sharing a floor in Hartford:
UConn hosts Texas in a preseason exhibition Mon., Oct. 19 at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, a meeting of two 2026 Final Four teams, per UConn Athletics. The game airs locally on WFSB and streams on UConn+.https://t.co/Vt7W7ZHUR7 #WBB
— Verdict WBB (@Verdict_WBB) October 18, 2026
A Syracuse team starting over couldn’t tell you anything close to that.
UConn gets a little healthier for the occasion. Allie Ziebell is back from her ankle injury, though Blanca Quinonez and Marine Dursus remain sidelined:
Allie Ziebell (ankle) will be back for UConn’s exhibition against Texas on Monday, per Geno.
Blanca Quiñonez (shoulder) and Marine Dursus (foot) remain out.
“They're not cleared yet. Now that doesn't mean they're not closer than they were last time we talked.”
— Daniel Connolly (@DanielVConnolly) October 17, 2026
Auriemma isn’t rushing anyone back, and he shouldn’t. But Ziebell’s return matters more than the box score will show, because UConn’s wing rotation gets thin fast the moment Strong sits.
None of this counts toward anything. It’s exhibition basketball, and whatever happens at PeoplesBank tonight won’t decide a single thing in April. But put two actual Final Four rosters on the same floor and you’ll find out fast whether UConn’s three-point problem was a one-off or something Auriemma has to spend the next five months fixing. Tip-off’s at 7. Bring better shooters.
