UConn is coming into the 2025-2026 season hungry for a back-to-back national title after the Paige Bueckers-led Huskies won it all last year. However, Bueckers is gone and her girlfriend, Azzi Fudd, along with Sarah Strong, now face the momentous task of getting that goal without her.
During last Saturday’s episode of “Hoops Cap” podcast of college basketball analyst Mark Zanetto’s YouTube channel , “Big East Energy Network,” the host and guest Tee Baker discussed what will happen this season over at Geno Auriemma’s squad.
The two compared this current iteration of the UConn Huskies can go undefeated and even compared them to some of the legendary UConn teams of the past, particularly the 2016 squad. Guest Tee Baker noted that maybe this year’s Huskies won’t be as great as that squad that went undefeated to win a national title.
“Do I think it’ll happen with that level of dominance that it happened in 2016? Probably Not,” the analyst said (9:01). “And that’s more of a statement about how the other teams have caught up talent-wise than UConn’s talent. You just look at a team like South Carolina, they’re similarly stacked and could also have an undefeated national championship season if you really think about it. So, I think that talent is more spread and then you see movement like free agency like how is TCU going to look with Olivia Miles there.”
As Baker explained, while this year’s team is a very talented one, other teams, such as Dawn Staley’s South Carolina, are just as strong and maybe even have their own undefeated run to a national championship this season. This is unlike the 2016 team which just brushed aside all comers as they did not have any quality opponents at that time, unlike this year’s team.
The 2016 team was led by Napheesa Collier and Brianna Stewart and won all 38 games en route to the national title.
Serah Williams, Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong Become UConn’s New Big 3
Even with Paige Bueckers gone, the Huskies are looking to be one of the best teams coming into the 2025-2026 season. Replacing Bueckers, who has left for the WNBA, is Serah Williams, who transferred to UConn from Wisconsin. The junior forward is expected to secure the frontline for the Huskies, with Fudd and Strong becoming good offensive options.
Together, they will make up the new “Big 3” for the Huskies, though their supporting cast is also very good, with KK Arnold being a proven playmaker, while Ayanna Patterson and Morgan Cheli are expected to beef the team up further as they return from injury.
Related: Paige Bueckers Reacts as ‘Girlfriend’ Azzi Fudd Turns Heads With Elegant ESPYs Outfit
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