Geno Auriemma's No. 1-ranked Huskies are undefeated, but the legendary coach isn't focused on the winning streak. Instead, when asked about expectations, he talked about how it motivates players.

"The expectations are so stupid and so off the charts. For the players to embrace those and do what they do, maybe that's why they're so good... They learn how to deal with, 'Yeah that's right I'm expected to win every single game.'"

That winning mentality has created players like Paige Bueckers, Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, and even Sue Bird. Moreover, it has allowed UConn to build a 33-game winning streak, the seventh longest in program history.

They boast an average scoring margin of 38.1 points. They have held opponents to just 51.8 points per game. For Auriemma, the wins are simply a byproduct of dominance.

It's a sentiment echoed by his players. Azzi Fudd recently addressed that pressure, and she agreed with Auriemma.

"We have the best coaches in the country, and they expect a certain standard of play, whether it’s in practice, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing... Just holding us to that expectation, that standard, we then hold each other to that standard. It doesn’t matter if we’re up, if we’re down, or who we’re playing. We’re trying to play UConn basketball."

UConn Will Carry the Same Mindset In Their Next Game

Speaking about the team's winning mindset ahead of the game, Auriemma said:

"If I told them that we’re playing for an undefeated season, a national championship, I think they would s*** themselves. So, we don’t talk about that."

That's why Auriemma has a way of enforcing that mindset in training. "My thing with them is every little thing that we do every day, I want to come to practice tomorrow and go, ‘Hey, how was yesterday? Was it better than the day before? Yes. Okay, we’re on the right track."

So far, No. 1 UConn is 17–0 overall and 8–0 at home. The defending champions are led by the returning duo of Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong. They feature a suffocating defense and an efficient offense led by Strong, who leads the Big East in scoring, averaging 18.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Still, the upcoming matchup against Villanova won’t be easy. The challenge is that Villanova looks different from last season. Junior forward Brynn McCurry is back after missing the year with an injury.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar